Original Sin
by littlebatgirl
Summary: Selina Kyle will become The Cat. Childhood events, leave her with a twisted link to The Joker, a man who has crawled under her skin in more ways than one. Selina is caught between two men, one who could save her soul and one who wants to watch her burn.
1. Beginning

**A/N. Hi there. Thank you for clicking on this and if you care to read on, I hope you enjoy. Firstly, in case you are new to me, I have written three stories already in the Batman/DK category and if you are reading them or just starting, please be assured that I am going to finish the last one. It's only a couple of chapters off.**

**I really wanted to try something different, some new characters and it occurred to me that there are not many Cat woman/Joker fanfics out there so I thought I would have a little try at it myself. I have always LOVED the cat woman character but I wondered how she would fit into a Nolan verse Batman world so I looked at her origins. The original Cat Woman character was a bit vague as far as back story goes, only that she was possibly quite rich at some point and was a cat burglar with a liking for big heists. It was hinted that she may have had an abusive past or was a prostitute. So I have decided to kind of play around with her origins and create my own back story, as at some point in the future she will be involved with the Ledger/Nolan Joker. I hope I've done it justice. If you have any suggestions or ideas, please Pm or review, that would be great. I have a few good ideas for this and hope you like it! Bit nervous as you can possibly tell!**

**I own none of the DC Comic Characters.**

**Volume One**

**Beginning**

Pain was all that existed.

She lay among the rubble, her vision blurred and her heart hammering in her ears. It was like time had stopped still for her but yet she could still make out shapes moving around her. Above her, only metres away, a woman was shrieking out a boy's name.

"Jim!" she was screaming, "I can't find my boy…."

The girl closed her eyes. Maybe if she could just rest then her body wouldn't hurt like this. She remembered the fire that had torn through their apartment building. She remembered the smoke that had curled under the door, like long, black snakes crawling across the carpet towards her where she had been wrapping her Father's Christmas present. They were going to Black Gate Prison in the morning to give it to him. She remembered her mother carrying her down the fire escape stairs, her bare feet thudding on the metal steps. Then the building had blown and it was too late.

The girl opened her eyes. She had been on fire.

Sirens. Sirens everywhere, filling her head, making it hurt.

_I was on fire. I was burning._

Her eyes were wide and the blissful moment of peace that had been shrouding her shattered. Suddenly the pain was so much more real that it knocked the breath right out of her. She rolled in agony and saw that the building that she had grown up in was crumbling before her eyes. Scrambling to her feet she stared wildly around.

Chaos was everywhere. People were screaming, crying out, desperately searching for anyone left amongst the debris. The girl stumbled forward, her face wet and dirty.

She saw a woman laying on the ground, a blonde haired, pretty woman, but her neck was bent at a curious angle. Her eyes were open but empty, like she would go on staring forever into nothingness.

"Mommy?" the girl whispered, "Mom…get up…please,"

The girl stepped away from the body, her foot catching on a piece of rubble. She fell backwards, her ankle tearing and she landed on her bottom with a thud, face to face with the dead woman that used to be her mother.

It was the searing began. A fleeting glimmer of the pain she was going to experience. It started in her fingers, a creeping, burning sensation, a gentle throbbing that passed and then returned. She opened her eyes wide as the pain grew stronger and she looked down at her arms. The sleeves of the night gown she had been wearing was gone, all that was left was charred, flayed skin. It was everywhere. Her chest, her neck, right down to the small of her back. Right in the middle of the street, littered with debris, police and now paramedics, the child tore off the nightgown, unable to bear it near her body a second longer. Having it there was killing her, it stung, the sensation making her choke. She frantically looked down at her burnt body, unable to keep it in any longer.

She opened her mouth and screamed.

////

Shivering, she cooperated as the paramedic placed her face down on the gurney. She drifted in and out, preying for death. To be burnt, to still feel the fire racing under her scorched flesh was more pain than she could endure. Her breathing was shallow and from her wet eyes she saw the paramedics lifting the gurney. Everything was suddenly white and sterile. The sheets hurt her skin but she couldn't stand to feel the cold on her ruined body. She let out a wail and one of the men, a pale faced, dark haired boy looked down at her.

"It's alright princess," he told her, "I know it hurts, but we're going to get you to a hospital real soon,"

_You don't know how this feels, _she wanted to scream.

"Can you speak at all?" he peered down at her, his eyebrows knitting together, "Can you tell me your name?"

She opened her mouth, her dry lips half pressed against the sheet against her face, but no sound would come, only a choked, wet gurgling noise.

"Its Selina," came a voice from the back of the ambulance. She wanted to look up but her muscles wouldn't obey her. She thought she recognised the voice.

"Sir, you are?" the young, dark haired paramedic called to him, his neck craned away from her.

"I'm Raj Lin," the other voice called back, "I own the restaurant down the street…they come in regular…I saw the girl's mother back there, dead. Please is _she_ alright?"

"She's alive but badly burned," the paramedic answered, "Sir; do you know where we can contact the girl's father?"

There was a short pause. "Michael Kyle...he in prison. They were on their own, nice family….such a terrible thing…."

Mr Lin. The nice, kind man from the restaurant that her mother liked to get take out from. The man who always called her 'Blondie' and gave her sweets when she came in. Selina wanted to lift her head. The relief of knowing that there was someone out there who knew who she was washed over her like ice. She couldn't have bared another second in that dream world where she seemed to be moving along in slow motion, like she was wading through tar.

The paramedic turned back to her and she saw that he was trying to smile at her, even though he must have been under terrible stress himself. She could see that in his eyes. Her world had turned into a disaster movie in a matter of seconds.

"Selina…we're going to get you to Gotham General," he spoke kindly, curling a finger though one of her blonde curls, "Can you feel my hand?"

Although it hurt to move her eyes, she saw that he had placed his larger hand under hers, so as not to touch her burned skin. Weakly she nodded.

"Ok, well if you need anything, just tap my hand Ok?" he smiled and she nodded again.

Just before she lapsed into a blissful, dream like state, into a world where she wasn't burned alive, she heard someone climb into the ambulance and felt the thud as that person sat down.

"I'll come with her," said Raj Lin, "She is alone now, poor little thing,"

"How old is she?" asked the paramedic.

"Five or Six….I'm not sure. Only that she comes in with her Mother every Friday. I know they were alone in the world…."

Selina jolted as the ambulance moved. They were leaving.

Her eyes widened.

"Mommy!" she cried hoarsely, her small fingers tapping the back of the paramedic's hand.

"What is it honey?" he whispered.

"My Mom!" she cried, her voice dry and raspy, but her tears were hot and wet, "She's still out there….you have to go back for her!"

The paramedic shook his dark head. "We can't honey. We have to take care of you now. Someone will find your mom, I promise,"

_But you can't leave her there. She's on her own and she takes care of me. You can't leave her all by herself on the ground._

Tears choked up in Selina's throat and she was thrown into a coughing fit, which wracked her body with a new pain. Shivering and afraid, she buried her face into the starchy hospital sheets, hating their sterile smell. She wanted home. She wanted to be back in her living room, wrapping presents where everything smelled good and safe. How had this happened so quickly? How could everything just change in a moment?

The fire that had swept through her building had torn away at her peaceful simple existence, forcing her into a harsh, new reality but at this moment she had no idea who or what was to blame for that.

The ambulance tore through the narrows of Gotham City, a place that Selina had barely gotten to know, but a place soon she would become part of in more ways than one.

"Michael Kyle…." The paramedic's voice was faint and Selina realised that whatever they had injected into her was slowly beginning to work, "Isn't that the guy who was locked up for fraud…."

"I don't really know much about them," Mr Lin's voice was hazy, "Only that it was something to do with the mob….he was their accountant,"

_Daddy, _she was fading, her eyes growing heavy, but with every ounce of strength she fought felt something new. She hadn't experienced this feeling before, or not that often anyway. She felt hatred. Hatred for the person who had done this to her. Hatred for the person who had taken away her life.

She would fight. She would allow herself to feel every ounce of the pain that was to come. She would become strong again.

Because this was only the beginning for her. Somehow, Selina knew that a bigger fight was to come. And she would never be a victim again.


	2. Broken Doll

**Hi. Firstly I want to say thanks to those who have reviewed and also added me to their favs/alerts! It means a lot to me! Hope your still enjoying this. It took me a while to write this one. At the moment I'm treating Selina Kyle like an OC, seeing as there isn't much back story for her. Hope you like where I'm going with this and as always please review or let me know if you have any suggestions.**

**I do not own any DC Comics Characters.**

**Broken Doll**

They brought him in during the night. Selina remembered waking from a deep sleep to the sound of shuffling footsteps in the corridors and a soft, haunting noise that sounded like a child's muffled laughter. She had sat up on her cot bed, the worn springs groaning as she moved and narrowed her eyes in the darkness.

"What is it?" Suzie whispered, from the bed next to her. Selina glanced across at Suzie, her red curls peeking out of the covers, just her freckled forehead and green eyes showing.

"They brought someone in," Selina whispered back, pulling the sheets up to her neck. She ducked back down in her bed as lights flew on in the corridor and a couple of other children groaned, disturbed from their peaceful dreams.

"It's late for new kids," Suzie whispered.

"What's going on?" Tony, the black haired Italian kid cried from the other end of the room. Selina glared at him and put a finger to her lips.

"Shhh!" she hissed, "Just go back to sleep!"

Winding the sheets around her, she snuggled back down, trying to ignore the metal spring digging into her back. She stared up at the white, peeling ceiling, watching the paper shapes dangling from the mobiles above her head. Turning her head uncomfortably to the right she stared down the length of the room, gazing upon the eight other sleeping bodies in their little cots, unaware of the commotion going on outside. She stiffened hearing footsteps in the room above, shuffling feet moving or dragging across the polished lino floor.

"They put him in the white room," Suzie whispered and Selina nodded, "Maybe he's sick?"

_Or maybe he's something else, _Selina didn't voice her thoughts, _maybe he's bad._

She remembered the last person who'd been put in the white room. Selina had been new to Humberside Children's Home and had been brought in wrapped in bandages. A few weeks after her arrival, a new boy had appeared and was put in the white room. Ugly and pointed nosed, he was much, much older than them and no one talked to him. One day there had been a scream that had literally shocked the whole place into a deathly silence. The boy had bitten the throat of Miss Mandy, the sweet nurse who had unravelled Selina's bandages, revealing her ruined skin for the first time. Jonah, the caretaker had found her gurgling and spitting up her own thick blood in the white room, clutching her neck, trying to cling desperately to the last shreds of her life. She hadn't made it however. Now the white room meant one thing only to the orphaned children of Humberside. It meant fear. Confinement. And death. The boy had disappeared over night, leaving his bloody mark on what had been a peaceful, safe place.

"Maybe we should go visit him in the morning?" Suzie whispered sleepily, "You know, make him feel welcome?"

Selina frowned at her friend in the darkness. "Maybe we shouldn't," she stated, her voice crisp and old, so much older than a girl of eight years, "If he's been put in there, then he's there for a reason. And I don't want to find out what it is,"

She dug her fingernails into her palm absentmindedly, not hearing the movements of her friends around her. When you had slept in a room with ten other people for three years, you became used to hearing all sorts, dream talking, snoring and nightmares. Lifting her chin she stared at the ceiling, secretly wondering about their mysterious new guest and what he had done to earn himself a place in a room that had been locked up and unused for as long as she could remember.

"I sure wish he'd shut up laughing though," she said, the muffled, soft giggling creeping under her skin and making her shiver.

////

"Nice one, Selina!" Tony exclaimed as the glass bottle hit the brick wall with a shriek, shards of glass flying across the gravel. He was sitting on the brick wall, slugging orange liquid out of a can, kicking his legs against the wall.

Suzie folded her arms crossly. "Mine was terrible," she whined.

Selina laughed, wiping her sticky blonde hair off her forehead. "Have another go,"

Selina went to the bucket and fished out another glass bottle. Wiping the water off the bottle onto her ragged jeans, she placed the bottle on the wall.

It was the middle of August and Gotham was breaking under a heat wave. It was unusually humid, the sun searing down at them from above. It was the kind of weather where taking a few steps was labouring, where the nurses of Humberside sat indoors, fanning themselves with newspapers. Selina longed for the grim Gotham winters that she was more comfortable with. The kind of winters where it didn't matter that she wore high neck polo shirts and no body noticed that she was always in long sleeves. She crossed her arms, leaning lazily against the wall as Suzie lined up for her kick. Suzie lunged for the glass bottle, but was too heavy on her swing; she missed and plopped back onto her bottom on the dirt ground.

"Ow!" she yelled as Tony burst into a fit of laughter. Selina bit her lip, trying to stifle a giggle as Suzie got back on her feet. They were in the yard around back of the children's home, which wasn't big enough to play soccer in but was just the right size to fit the three older children of Humberside, when they wanted some privacy from the littler ones. It was good because you had to crawl over the brick wall to reach it, which made it impossible for the younger ones to get to. The three of them often hid out here, until Jonah usually kicked them out.

"I'm tired of this game" Suzie whined, "There's nothing to do here and it's too hot!"

Selina had to agree that boredom was severely setting in. The heat was almost suffocating. Most of the younger residents of the children's home, slept during the hottest part of the day, the heat too much for them to bear. Selina, Suzie and unfortunately Tony, were a few of the oldest children in the home and with the younger residents being too young to think up new, clever games, all they had were each other. Tony was the one who thought up the games that usually ended up with them scraping knees or elbows or getting in trouble. Suzie usually just went along with whatever Selina wanted.

"Hey Mrs Lang's cat just had kittens!" Tony exclaimed, "Why don't we go and have a look?"

Selina frowned at him. "Yeah, she loves us!" she said, her voice laced with sarcasm, remembering how they had managed to piss off the very sweet natured Mrs Lang, by stealing her underwear and posting it through Jonah's door.

"Well you think of something," Tony retorted, "Why don't we catch a ride to the creek and go for a swim?"

"Ugh, that's gross," Suzie made a face, "Only _you _would want to swim in that cesspool,"

"Yeah, you know how many people have probably _died _in that creek?" Selina reminded him, swinging her long legs as she hopped up onto the brick wall.

"Sorry," Tony said drily rolling his eyes at her, "I forgot that no one was _allowed_ to see you naked. Well you two are boring; I'm going to try and take a look at those kittens,"

Suzie snorted. "Good luck getting past Jonah,"

The red headed girl cast Selina a look as soon as Tony was out of earshot.

"He's such an ass," she said, ignoring that Selina still looked stung from Tony's comment, "Why don't I go steal Nurse Rene's fashion magazine and we can pretend what we are going to wear to prom?"

Selina's mouth lifted in a half smile. "Sure," she said, absently tugging at the thin material of her cotton sleeves. Suzie disappeared inside the building and Selina hopped down from the wall. Folding her arms across her chest, she paced the small piece of yard. She hated summer. She hated the heat on her skin and the sun in her eyes. She longed for the cold, crisp evenings and the way her breath fogged in the air. People looked at her in summertime and she hated that look in their eyes.

Selina was noticed for two reasons. One, that for an eight year old, she was amazingly tall and slender, so thin that Jonah nicknamed her Q Tip. Her hair was golden and her eyes were a deep forest green, framed by thick black lashes. She was pretty and didn't know it yet, but was only going to get prettier. The other reason people noticed her, was because from her neck right down to her wrists, she was covered. Not one shred of skin showed through. She got dressed in the cold, downstairs toilet, which had two locks. She never showered in front of the other children and had never in her life worn a pretty dress. In blistering heat, this was not an easy thing to achieve.

Selina's body was puckered and twisted with scars. From the nape of her neck to the small of her back, not one inch of her had been spared. They even curled down onto the tops of her thighs. After the fire that had killed her mother and wrenched her out of her peaceful existence, she had been alone in the world, there was nobody to help pay for the various skin grafts that she had needed to recover. So she had to heal the painful way, mangled and ruined, forced to hide her body from others, even her own reflection in the mirror. She longed to wear her hair up, like Suzie and not sweaty and stuck to her head. She ached to wear thin T-shirts or spaghetti strapped dresses, like the ones she saw in Nurse Rene's magazines. Although it was one of their favourite things to do, gazing at that magazine was almost, at times, heart wrenchingly painful for Selina. All those beautiful, perfect models in their tight, satin dresses seemed at times to be taunting her.

Two months after arriving at the children's home, there had come another blow for Selina. Although at the time, she was still probably too young to really understand, something had happened at the prison that her father was being held in. Now that time had passed, the event was known as the 'Black Gate Riots', where over a hundred prisoners had escaped and murdered innocent guards that got in their way. Michael Kyle had been one of the unlucky few that hadn't escaped, but caught up in the devastation. He had died instantly after a gunshot wound to the chest. Selina remembered the night one of the nurses had brought her from her cot, holding her while they told her the news.

Selina turned her face to the glaring sun, squinting her eyes and wondered how long she had been lost in thought. She wiped the beads of sweat off her brow and wondered where Suzie had gotten to. Suzie was easily distracted.

Opening her eyes and using the back of her hand as a guard, Selina peered up at the redbrick building that had been her home for three years. She thought by now she knew every inch of the worn, dilapidated home, the peeling painted shutters and the chipped brick work. What she saw when she pulled her hand away, made her jump and the hairs stand up on her skinny legs.

She hadn't expected to see anyone looking down at her. But there he was.

There was someone sitting at a window on the second floor, his head wrapped in white, dirty looking bandages, blonde tufts of hair poking through the cracks and only his eyes and mouth showing.

Selina swallowed and knew instinctively that he must be the new kid who was brought in late last night. The one who wouldn't stop laughing.

Selina couldn't tear her eyes away and didn't hear Suzie scramble back across the wall.

"Hey…what are you staring at?"

"Huh!" Selina jumped guiltily, forcing her eyes away from the boy at the window.

Suzie looked at her, pulling her eyebrows together in a frown. "You Ok?"

"The boy from last night….he is at the window," Selina stammered and turned to point directly above them. But the window was empty.

"Which one?" Suzie squinted up at the second floor, eager herself to get a glimpse of their mysterious new guest.

"He's gone," Selina groaned, disappointed, "Maybe he's nervous?"

"We might see him at dinner," Suzie wondered aloud, "I'd like to ask him what he finds so dam funny,"

Selina grinned at that, but despite the heat, felt a chill in the air and shivered visibly.

Suzie noticed. "Did he say anything?"

"No," she shook her head, unable to reason why she suddenly felt this way, "It was just a bit….I don't know…creepy, I guess. His head was wrapped in bandages,"

Suzie's eyes widened a little. "Like a mummy?"

"Don't be a moron!" Selina laughed a little, "He's probably had an accident. It was creepy is all. He was watching us,"

At that Suzie shivered, but she was more intrigued than spooked. She abruptly changed the subject.

"I forgot to tell you! Mrs Wayne's here on a visit!" she burst suddenly and Selina's eyes lit up.

"She is?"

"That's why I was gone so long. Come on she can only stay for a little while,"

The two girls scurried over the brick wall, dusting themselves down as they ran around to the brownish green lawn at the front of the house. The grass was dry and dying, starved of water but some of the younger residents of Humberside were lying across it, around an elegant woman who sat in a folding chair, holding one of the little ones in her lap. She was dark haired, pale skinned and wore a scarlet red lipstick. Selina always took a breath every time she saw Mrs Wayne. The older woman looked like a flawless image from one of the fashion magazines, with a delicate, serene smile that made you feel special.

She had steel blue eyes that kept your gaze. Selina wished that Mrs Wayne would adopt her. Selina hoped that one day she would look like that.

"Hello, you two," the older woman broke her conversation with the younger children as Selina and Suzie approached.

"Hi Mrs Wayne," they both said shyly.

Martha Wayne eyed Selina approvingly as she slid onto the grass by her feet.

"Look at you!" she marvelled, "You must be one of the tallest children here. I think you're even taller than my son Bruce and he's a bit older than you!"

Selina smiled up at her. Martha Wayne was a patron of the children's home and regularly visited, spending time with them. She didn't usually stay long, often whisked away back to her mansion in her shiny car to attend some charity event with her handsome husband. Selina and Suzie knew this because they often listened outside the nurse's staff room, while they gossiped about her. Also Mrs Wayne often appeared in some of the magazines that Nurse Rene collected.

"Your necklace is beautiful," Selina admired out loud, her eyes drawn to the dark green gem, set in silver that graced Mrs Wayne's slim neck. The older woman blushed and absently toughed the gem with her painted fingertips.

"My husband Thomas bought it for me as an anniversary present," she smiled fondly.

"How long have you been married?" Suzie asked, nosily and one of the nurses threw her a stinging glare.

Mrs Wayne laughed. "Ten years. Actually we are going out tonight to celebrate. We're going to the ballet and taking our son Bruce with us!"

"Oh," Suzie breathed, "I want to be a ballerina when I grow up!"

The other children listened enraptured while the beautiful, graceful woman told them all about the dancers and the costumes. Selina could almost imagine herself on stage in a pink, frilly dress, being swirled around by a handsome man, lifted into the air like she weighed nothing.

"So you want to be a ballerina huh?" Mrs Wayne smiled at the curly redhead, "I seem to remember last time I came you wanted to be a singer?"

Selina sniggered and Suzie blushed crimson. "I still do!"

"And what about you Selina?" Mrs Wayne suddenly turned her steel blue eyes on her, "What would you like to be when you grow up?"

_I want to be beautiful, _Selina wanted to say, _I want to have a husband that buys me clothes and jewellery and takes me out in fancy cars. I want a home that's like a palace and I can lock myself away with him, where nobody can look at me. I want him to like me no matter what I look like under my clothes._

"Selina?" Mrs Wayne prompted, her eyes worried. Selina realised that the other children were staring at her.

"I want…." words seemed to be failing her today. She felt suddenly hot and uncomfortable and everyone was staring at her. She hated everyone staring at her.

"I want to be a real girl," she whispered, her eyes filling up with hot, embarrassed tears. She saw the agonised expression cross Mrs Wayne's face and she scrambled to her feet, unable to take them looking at her one more minute.

"_Selina_!" she called after her, but the blood rushing in her ears prevented her from hearing anything else. She dashed past Tony, nearly sending him flying to the ground. She ran inside the house, her grimy sneakers squeaking over the polished floor in the hallway. A choke rumbled in her throat and the tears came. She stomped up the stairs and sat on the top step of the second floor landing, where she knew that she was out of earshot.

What was wrong with her today? She was acting like a total baby. She scolded herself mentally for making an idiot of herself in front of Mrs Wayne. Wiping her sticky face, feeling like a broken doll that needed fixing back together, she wailed into her hands, wanting to shred the clothes from her body.

Breathe, she told herself. Sometimes she just couldn't get her breath. Being so close and confined with so many people was unbearable.

She didn't know how long she had sat there for; only that suddenly she heard the sound of a car starting up in the driveway.

No! Selina raced to the landing window and stared down at the shiny car disappearing out of the driveway. The younger children were waving goodbye and she saw Mrs Wayne's gloved hand waving from the car window. Selina stamped her foot, annoyed with herself. How long would it be before she got to see Mrs Wayne again? Why did she have to go and have a meltdown in front of her? Now Mrs Wayne would feel bad and think she caused it. Selina could have imagined what the nurses would have said to her.

"Don't worry yourself about Selina. She just gets more emotional than the others at times,"

Jonah often said she was too 'sensitive', whatever that meant. Now she would have to wait till Mrs Wayne's next visit to say sorry.

Sorry for being such a baby about my scars. Sorry for wanting so much more than this crappy life I have. Sorry for feeling like a caged animal, clawing its way to get free.

A noise behind her made her stop short. She whirled around, her sneakers squeaking again. In her fury, she hadn't realised that she had stomped her way up two flights of stairs. She was on the second floor and down the opposite end of the hallway, at the back of the house, was the white room. The noise was soft, like careful, catlike footsteps and they were coming from that room.

Selina shivered, remembering the boy who had been looking down into their yard. Burning with a new found curiosity, her feet began to move, wooden and slow. She saw the door in front of her and automatically her hand reached for the handle. It was cool in her hand. Her breath freezing in her throat, she heard the footfalls stop inside the room.

Swallowing hard, she pushed the handle down firmly, the door groaning on its hinge. What happened next, kept Selina awake that night and the next. Someone inside the room growled, like a wounded animal. She went cold and then choked as the footsteps rushed towards the door. The force of the door slamming shut, threw her back so hard she slid to the floor, landing with a painful thud. She stared at the door, knowing whoever was inside was holding it closed with the full weight of his body.

"Hey!" she cried angrily, "I only wanted to talk to you!"

Then he began to laugh. High. Shrill. And frightening. Selina put her hands over her ears, every hair on her body standing up in fear.

"_Stop laughing_!" she screamed hard and loud, wanting to hear anything else other than that awful sound, "_Stop laughing at me! Just stop laughing!"_


	3. Very Bad Things

**Hi everyone. Just wanted to say a big thanks to all those who have added me to their favs and alerts! And the reviews I've been getting are great. It makes my day when I get them! Special thanks to Cheshire Enchantress, Alice's restaurant, Glasgow smile and nlech16. You guys are great!**

**Hope you enjoy this next one and keep the reviews coming.**

**I own none of the DC Comic Characters.**

**Very Bad Things**

There was a storm coming. Nurse Ally had brought in all the washing hanging on the line in the yard. The sky was grey and heavy, distant rumblings making the younger children of Humberside twitchy.

Selina planned to be outside when the sky finally broke, sick and tired of her clothes sticking to her skin, but Jonah had put a stop to that. Jonah was only twenty eight years old but with his craggy face and thinning, long hair, he seemed much older. Selina always thought he was about fifty. But then to a kid, everyone was old.

"Cant you go inside and watch cartoons?" he grumbled at them, dragging heavy trash bags behind him.

Tony, Selina and Suzie were playing cards in the back yard. Tony had finally given up on the idea of seeing Mrs Lang's kittens. The heat had made everyone too exhausted to play. Selina was unusually quiet and Suzie hadn't said a word about her outburst in front of Mrs Wayne yesterday. To Selina that was a distant memory. She was irritable and grouchy from lack of sleep, having spent the night trying to get that horrible voice out of her head. Who made growling noises like that anyway? It had sounded strange and inhuman. She had spent the night, with her eyes transfixed on the ceiling above her. She heard him walking, shuffling around the white room, obviously unable to sleep himself. She wondered if he was in pain. She supposed that he must be hot and uncomfortable with his head wrapped up like that.

"Hey I said it's _your_ turn!" Tony snapped and Selina jumped, her back hitting the brick wall behind her. She hadn't realised she had been so lost in thought.

"Huh…sorry!" she mumbled, shuffling her cards.

Tony pulled a face and threw his cards on the pile. "I'm done anyway….I'm going inside to watch TV,"

Selina rubbed her eyes and yawned as Tony scrambled over the brick wall. Suzie glared at her.

"You're being weird!" she accused, "You've been weird since you ran off yesterday,"

"I know," she muttered, picking up the spare cards and shoving them into some sort of order, "Sorry,"

Suzie didn't press the matter further; instead she climbed to her feet and dusted off her knees. "Are you coming?" she asked, wiping her hand across her brow.

Selina was about to answer when Jonah poked his head over the brick wall, his brow furrowed and beaded with sweat. He threw another trash bag over the wall but stared down at them, a strange look on his face.

"Girls….you should go and watch the news," he mumbled, "Something has happened that you should know about,"

Woodenly Selina stood and followed Suzie around to the front lawn. Nurse Hayley was sitting on the porch steps, a lit cigarette in her hands. As they passed, she didn't look up, but Selina saw that the nurse had been crying, her face was damp and her mascara ruined. Her hands were shaking a little too as she brought the cigarette to her mouth. It was at that point that everything seemed to slow right down. Selina could feel she was moving but she didn't hear the slap of her sneakers on the polished floor as they entered the hall. She saw Suzie disappear into the day room and followed, her mouth suddenly dry. Why did she suddenly feel that something was desperately wrong? There were other nurses crowded around the television set. It was the only one in the whole house and was only put on for two hours every day. The day room was bright and airy, its yellow walls littered with art work that were really used to cover the peeling paint. It was stacked with toys, books and had two overstuffed sofas that had been ruined from being jumped, climbed on and crawled all over by children over the years. It was a little sanctuary but at this moment Selina's feet wouldn't let her go all the way in. Nurse Rene turned in their direction, caught Selina's pale face and then whispered something to Nurse Ally.

Ally tore herself away from her spot on the sofa and took the two girls by the shoulders. She guided them to the foot of the stairs, where they automatically sat.

Ally's pale creamy skin was ashen. Selina swallowed. She knew how people looked when they gave you bad news. She remembered bad news. Ally knelt in front of them.

"Something happened last night to Mr and Mrs Wayne," she began tentatively, running her tongue along her dry lips, "Someone attacked them in the alley. He wanted money but…."

"They're dead," Selina finished for the young nurse. Selina remembered bad news alright. She remembered the look in their eyes when they gave it to you. She remembered the tone of their voices.

"Yes," Ally nodded sadly, "It's so awful….such a shock. She was such a lovely woman, so kind to us. And now that little boy….."

Ally's voice trailed off and Selina remembered Mrs Wayne's son, Bruce. She always spoke of him with such love in her voice.

"Will he come and live here with us now?" Suzie asked and Selina glanced at her friend for the first time. Suzie's cheeks were wet.

"No sweetheart," Ally confirmed, "He has someone to take care of him. But he is an orphan now too. We'll have to say extra special prayers for him tonight,"

The nurse let go of Selina's hand, which until now she hadn't been aware that anybody was touching her. She felt cold and empty.

Mrs Wayne. Lovely, pretty Mrs Wayne. She always smelled so nice and wore scarlet red lipstick. She was graceful and elegant, like a movie star and she died in a cold, dark alley way. Selina thought that at least Mr Wayne was there to protect her, wherever they were now.

It was a few moments before Selina realised that she was alone on the stairs, hugging her knees to her chest. Suzie had vanished and Nurse Ally had gone back to the day room. She could see out of the door and onto the front lawn where some of the younger children were playing in the sprinkler. The sky had darkened and as it cracked, the sound sent the little ones running for the house, giggling. Selina watched the fat droplets of rain splatter onto the porch, the smell of clear, fresh rainwater wafting into the hallway. The rain had come at last.

All at once Selina felt hairs tingle on the back of her neck, that crawling sensation, now all too familiar shooting down her spine. Someone was there.

She whirled about, her head darting upwards just in time to see someone scurry out of sight. She heard footsteps clambering up to the second floor and then seconds later, a door slam shut above. Selina let out a breath and stared up through the banisters, knowing that _he_ had been watching her that whole time.

////

"Lights out time!" Jonah barked. Selina turned in her cot to face the wall. Suzie had been quiet all afternoon and had barely touched her dinner. Her face had been red and swollen when she'd finally come to bed.

Selina turned away because she too felt sick to the stomach. She knew that if she looked into Suzie's red eyes, she would break. She'd kept her grief tight and in a knot, that was stuck in her throat and choking her. But it was hers and hers alone and she didn't want anyone to see her cry. She'd lost count of the amount of times she'd dreamed that Mrs Wayne would adopt her, that she would scoop her up and take her back to her mansion. Why did kind people have to die? How could anyone hurt someone so gentle and sweet? Swallowing the knot in her throat, Selina buried her face in her damp pillow, shutting out the noise of those around her.

Bedtime was a chaotic affair, everyone scrambling to their cots, not wanting to be out of bed when the lights went out. It usually took a good twenty minutes to get all the children to bed. The younger ones whined and grumbled and deliberately picked fights with one another, which usually ended up with Jonah roaring at them from the door. There were six babies in residence at Humberside and although they had a separate room down the hall on the first floor, any noise could set them off, their cries drifting down the corridors. It was rarely completely silent at Humberside.

Selina drifted into a restless sleep but she awoke after what felt like minutes, but her hair was soaking and the bed sheets tangled around her. Although the rain had come, the humidity still hung in the air and she pushed back the sheets, allowing what little coolness there was to touch her skin. Even at night, Selina wore a gown that covered her from her neck down to her knees. Her throat was dry and parched. Sitting up, a little dizzy from heat, she looked about and saw that everyone was asleep. Swinging her legs over the side, her bare feet touched the cool floor.

Silently she wound her way through the beds and cracked the door open, slipping out into the dark corridor. Her footsteps were light on the stairs and she could feel a breeze on her legs as she hurried down to the ground floor. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw a shape standing on the porch, the front door wide open, but she exhaled when she saw it was Jonah. She turned on her heels but it was too late.

"What are you doing Selina?" he grumbled. He was smoking again. Nurse Rene had told him off for that. Selina turned back and sat on the stairs.

"I'm thirsty," she complained, "And I can't sleep,"

Instead of shoeing her off like she expected, he rolled his eyes and leaned lazily against the doorframe.

"Yeah, its one of those nights," he muttered, "You still thinking about Mrs Wayne?"

Selina shrugged, the knot tight in her throat. "I guess,"

"Bad things happen Selina," he said, blowing a stream of smoke through his teeth, "Very bad things. She was a nice lady. We all liked her,"

Jonah was a man of very few words. But Selina was sure that he hadn't ever been so talkative before.

"Get your water and go back to bed," he snapped suddenly, "It's late,"

Selina didn't hesitate on the stairs. She scurried to the kitchen which was next to the day room at the back of the house. Fishing around on the draining board for a clean glass, she grabbed one and filled it with cold liquid and gulped it greedily. It was then she heard something which sent her hairs tingling. Gingerly she set the glass on the drainer and stepped back towards the kitchen door. She saw Jonah finishing his cigarette on the porch, flicking the butt end onto the gravel drive. So she knew he hadn't made the noise.

It was coming from the day room. It was a soft tinkling noise, like a chime and she recognised it instantly. She moved out into the hallway and stared at the dayroom door, which was closed. Someone was playing with one of the music boxes in there. Her arms went icy cold and didn't notice Jonah stamping towards her.

"Selina!" he snarled, giving her arm a tug, "I said get to bed!"

Keeping her eyes on the door, she nodded blankly and darted for the stairs. Jonah watched her go; she felt his eyes on her back the whole way up.

Selina stopped at the bedroom door, her wilful curiosity getting the better of her. She opened the door a jar and then shut it again, making sure that Jonah would hear the click. Then she crouched on the top step, her figure hidden in the shadows. From this distance she could still see Jonah on the porch, his arms folded over his broad chest.

Then he came inside and closed the front door. Selina held her breath as she watched him open the door to the dayroom. She couldn't see him anymore, but his voice was still clear.

"Alright buddy," Jonah's voice was unusually soft, "Time for bed now,"

The music box stopped abruptly as if it were snapped shut.

"You want to take it up with you?" Jonah asked, "Can't be much to do up there huh?"

Selina was sweating, her hair sticking to the back of her neck. They were coming up.

Softly she scrambled to her feet, knowing that this was the only chance she was going to get to see the person who had scared her half to death yesterday. She headed for the second floor stairs, making her footfalls light; she hurried up them until she was face to face with the white room.

She could still hear Jonah's voice, floating up the stairs, getting closer every minute. Fraught with panic, Selina opened the door to the white room, slipping inside into the darkness. Her breath froze in her throat. What was she doing? Jonah would tan her backside for this and not to mention she would be punished by the nurses.

She remembered the ugly boy who had once lived in this room. She remembered sweet nurse Mandy who had died in here. This was not a room for children. It was a room of death and very bad things. _He_ was in here for a reason.

_Get out! Get out of here now!_

Her heart, beating furiously in her chest, she lunged for the handle but it was too late. She could hear Jonah on the other side of the door. Two sets of footsteps, one heavy and adult, one light and shuffling.

Tears welling up in her eyes, her own stupidity dawning on her, she felt around in the dark for somewhere to hide. She could make out shapes and found a cupboard in the corner of the room, by the window. Falling to her knees, she crawled across the smooth floor and squeezed herself into the gap between the cupboard and the wall. She was sure that they would hear her heart beating the minute they came in. Selina squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to be invisible. Oh why did she have to be so stupid? Why couldn't she have listened to Jonah?

The door opened with a groan.

"Do you want me to turn on the lights?" Jonah asked softly, "Ok! Ok! Don't worry…."

Only one set of footsteps came in the door, shuffling, dragging across the polished floor. Selina could feel the sweat dripping down her back. If she was going to move then now was the time. Punishment or no punishment, she had to get out of this room!

But her legs were like jelly and she didn't think she had the strength to pull herself out of the space, let alone make a run for the door.

There was a strange muffled sound that sounded like choked tears and Selina's ears pricked up.

"I'm sorry buddy….you know the rules," Jonah was saying, "But hey….not long now and those bandages can come off….I have to go now,"

_No! Don't leave! _Selina wanted to yell from her hiding spot, but her voice was dry and her lips clamped shut, _Don't leave me with him!_

The door was groaning. It was closing.

"Please…" Jonah said his voice strange, "Don't do that…"

Selina was wide eyed and knew now that she recognised that strange muffled noise. The boy was crying. Jonah closed the door and Selina gasped silently.

There was a noise like a key going into a lock.

_No, No! You are not locking me in with that….whatever he is!_

The key turned in the lock and Selina wanted to scream, but no noise would come. She pushed herself tighter up against the wall, knowing it would only be a matter of time before someone realised she was gone. But she had tricked Jonah. He thought she had gone back to bed! Perspiring, her eyes darted around the room, willing them to see better. It was almost too dark, suffocating dark, like a nightmare.

She heard Jonah's voice from the other side of the door.

"I'm sorry buddy….I have to lock it…you know why," he sounded sorry, Selina thought, "Try to sleep now,"

_No don't go!_ Selina screamed in her head. Breathing shallowly, the dark closing in, she squeezed her eyes shut. Now she was really alone.

Covering her mouth with her hands, she heard him moving around the room. His feet dragged across the floor, as though picking up his feet were too much effort. His breathing was raspy, choked, peppered with that insane muffled laughter.

Selina tried desperately to reason with what was left of her rational mind, the part of her mind that would have stopped her from coming in her in the first place. Eventually he would have to sleep. Eventually her eyes would adjust. He couldn't see her yet and she would make sure it stayed that way. This was a good hiding spot.

_Everything will be fine; someone will notice you're gone. Suzie will wake up and see your missing._

How long had it been silent? Selina realised that he had stopped moving. He had _stopped_ laughing. She couldn't even hear him breathing.

Her stomach flipped, all rational thoughts leaving her head. Where was he? If she couldn't _hear_ him, she didn't know _where_ he was.

That familiar sensation washed over her again, like she was being watched. The crawling feeling on the back of your neck, when you know someone is standing, just too close to you.

Selina closed her eyes, willing herself not to scream. Then came a voice she would never forget, not a man's voice and not the voice of a boy, something strange stuck in the middle

"I see you," he said.


	4. Curiosity Killed

**Hi all. Once again thanks for all the support and reviews! I love getting them! Once again, thanks to Alice's restaurant, Cheshire enchantress, nlech16 and freelancerseal for their great reviews!**

**I do not own any DC comic characters.**

**Curiosity Killed**

_Breathe_, Selina told herself, _breathe_.

Keeping her eyes shut, she swallowed, her body aching from being squeezed into that tight, uncomfortable space between the wall and the cupboard. She refused to let panic take over. She wouldn't let some stranger make her this afraid. And she wouldn't cry.

I have to get out, she wanted to wail, the words bubbling up in her throat but she pressed her lips shut. In the darkness that was almost choking her, she could hear _him_. She could hear his feet dragging, sliding along the floor. That crazy, strange laughter was filling her head, making her feel icy cold, despite the sweat pouring down her back. He seemed to dart between that soft, bubbling laughter and a wet noise that sounded like gurgling, like he'd been crying. Still unwilling to admit defeat, Selina gently, carefully lowered herself onto all fours until her stomach was flat to the cold, sterile smelling floor. Palms flat down, she slid along the floor, hoping that somehow she would be able to get past him and then bang on the door. She used her feet to push her along, her toes inching her forward slowly.

Where _was_ he? He had stopped moving again and she found that more frightening than the sound of his feet on the floor. She wondered where he was and if he could see her. It must be impossible, she tried to reason. She couldn't see him.

Her head bumped something hard and she winced and drew back, stars exploding in her vision. She reached out her hand and felt that it was cold, metal and hard and she recognised it as the cabinet she'd seen in the light of the window when she'd first come into the room. Selina breathed a sigh of relief. She was nearly at the door. But what she intended to do when she got there was another matter.

One thing was for sure; whatever she did she was going to wake up the whole house. And she was in no way getting away with this! Jonah would have a whole list of punishments he could inflict on her, cleaning the toilets being one of them.

Selina reached up her hand towards the cabinet, hoping that she could find a handle that she could somehow lever herself up onto her feet. Her hand touched something soft and slightly damp. It was cloth, or at least it felt like cloth but it smelt….all wrong. Like mould and dirt. She felt along the length of the cloth as it fell into her hands, it was wet in patches. She was pulling it and it kept coming, parts wet and sticky, others dry and stale smelling. Finally she dropped it to the floor, her eyes wide and too late she realised what it was. Bandages.

A pair of hands grabbed her shoulders and her heart lurched into her throat.

"I said….I _see_ you!" the voice was too close, in her ear and the smell of blood and infection overwhelmed her. It wasn't the voice of a man, nor of a boy. It was strange and stuck in the middle somewhere and it made her freeze.

His fingers, dug into the flesh of her upper arms and she wailed, scrambling away underneath him. Selina, still on all fours, scrabbled across the floor, her knees slipping, still half blind from the dark and by fear. Her head collided with something very hard, the wall and she yelped, her neck twisting as she pushed her back against it. She kicked out blindly in the dark, wide eyed as he grabbed one of her ankles in his clammy hand and put the other hand over her mouth. Selina was sure that her heart was going to explode out of her chest like a bomb and she whimpered against his hand, cool on her skin.

"Don't make another sound," he warned. She swallowed the frightened noises in her mouth. She was glad of the darkness. At least he didn't have the satisfaction of seeing her face. And she certainly didn't want to see _his_. She thought of those disgusting, used bandages on the floor, the thought that she had been holding them making her gag. Why had he removed them?

The pain in her head was intense right at the front, at the spot above her right eye. She was sure that she was going to have a bump. Closing her eyes against the throbbing pain, she distantly remembered poor nurse Mandy, loosing her life in this very room, maybe in this very spot. Was this how she had felt when it had happened to her? Completely terrified.

"You can't do anything to me!" she hissed as he carefully removed his hand, "They will know it was you and you'll be locked up, away from everyone for always!"

The words coming out of her mouth sounded ridiculous as she heard them back in her head, especially as it only seemed to make him giggle.

"Maybe that's not a bad thing," was his reply. He took both her clammy hands in his and she wondered what on earth he was doing. She tried to snatch them away, but he seized her wrists, hard and firm and she felt him moving her hands upward.

What was he doing? Did he want her to scream out? Maybe he _wanted_ to be locked away, to be part of the dark for the rest of his life.

Selina gasped as the tips of her fingers touched something cool and soft, realising too late that it was his face. She felt the bones of his temples, slightly waxy to the touch, as he guided her hands down over his cheeks. She felt his eyelashes on her hands.

"What are you….?" She choked. Then the shape of his face changed. After the soft indentation that was his cheek bones, the skin became sticky, wet and hot. In the dark, her eyes bulged, feeling the lacerations under her fingertips.

_You're all ruined_; Selina thought distantly, the sharp edges of wire stitching pricking her skin. She felt along the stitching. In and out, in and out. Selina imagined a torn rag doll that had been sewn back together, but badly. He was cut. His face was mangled. He increased the pressure on her wrists and she gagged, her fingers touching the soft, puffy flesh around his mouth.

"_Stop_!" she cried, his grip loosening so much that she could snatch her hands away. She could feel him close to her in the dark, could feel him breathing.

"I don't _want_ to touch you," she said her eyes filling with tears. She thanked god it was dark. She wouldn't have wanted to see that face. It felt bad enough.

Then something else happened. He found her hands in the dark and slid his fingers up the sleeves of her nightgown, the cotton stretching as he did so. His palms were flat against her skin and she felt his own surprise, as his cool fingers brushed over her own bumpy, uneven flesh.

"Hmm," he said softly, almost thoughtful, "You have something to hide too,"

Too late and still in her innocent, this cannot be real daze, Selina realised what he meant. Anger engulfed her. Her body was private and nobody ever touched her!

_Nobody had ever touched her_. It was the last thing she thought before she snapped.

With a strange, almost primal need to get away, she brought her knee back and kicked out the ankle he had been holding. The force threw him sideways and he yelped as she scrambled over him. She was on her feet, skidding across the floor but with a jolt, she was back on her stomach the floor colliding with her chin, making her yell out in pain. He seized her ankle hard, his fingers digging into her soft flesh. She kicked out again and with a small triumph managed to get him in the stomach, hearing the breath whoosh out of him. Terrified and half mad, she kicked again as they wrestled in the darkness, legs and arms flailing all over the place. She heard him give a roar of pain as she kicked him squarely in the face.

Selina rolled over and made a mad, frantic dash for the door, letting out a real scream.

But to her relief the door crashed open and the lights flew on.

Selina had never been so happy to see Jonah before in her life. She squinted against the light, watching in a daze as he came in and looked about the room. Ally, her hair in curlers, her eyes frantic was moments behind him. She stared down at Selina, at the blood on her cut lip, as if she didn't know who she was.

"Selina?" her voice was confused, "What on earth?"

"Selina what the _hell_ have you done?" Jonah roared. Selina struggled to sit up; she hurt all over but looked in the direction of the angry voice. The boy was curled up under his metal framed bed, hugging his knees to his chest, his back to Selina so all that she could see was his damp, curly hair.

Ally pulled Selina to her feet, checking her over with her eyes.

"Selina," she still looked so confused, "What are you _doing_ in here?"

How could she even begin to explain what had just happened? She didn't even know herself.

"Its ok buddy," Jonah was on all fours, trying to prise the boy out from under the bed, his body was shaking, "Uh, Ally….he's ripped his stitches,"

Selina gasped. _I did that._

She remembered kicking him in the face and the noise he'd made. She'd hurt him.

Ally groaned, just as Rene came bolting into the room, her dressing gown wrapped firmly around her. She stared in disbelief at the scene, her eyes wary as they crossed over Selina.

"What _happened_?" she cried, rushing to Jonah's side, "Oh….Ally, this isn't good. Get me something for the blood!"

Selina felt like she was standing in the middle of a crowded room where nobody even knew she existed. On shaky legs she stood and saw the full horror of what she had done. The boy was shaking uncontrollably, blood pooling around his dirty blonde head. Ally was red faced as she bustled past Selina, her apron soaked in fresh, red blood. Selina's lips began to tremble.

"I'm…I'm sorry," her voice shook and Ally stared down at her, half mad and half concerned. She pinched Selina's chin in-between her fingers, harder than she needed to be, obviously taking in her bloodied lip. Ally threw a confused look over her shoulder at the shaking boy on the floor and then looked back down at Selina.

"You have a lot of explaining to do," she said sternly, "But that can wait till morning. Go to bed Selina. We have to fix this now,"

"I didn't mean to…" her voice trailed away realising how pathetic she sounded. She hadn't meant to, what? She hadn't meant to pry? She hadn't meant to get locked in the white room? How could she possibly explain herself when she couldn't understand what had just happened?

"_Bed_!" Ally snapped, "You should use the time to think up a good excuse for this mess!"

Her eyes filling with hot, embarrassed tears, she left the room, her ankle throbbing. Both Rene and Ally, watched her limp out of the room and cast a quizzical glance at one another, then at the boy huddled under the bed.

Selina lingered in the hallway, her throat lodged with tears. She waited a few moments before taking a step back and peering around the corner of the door. Jonah had managed to get the boy on the bed, his legs that were hanging out of pyjama bottoms too short for him, dangling limply over the edge. Both Ally and Rene were huddled over him.

"Hold his shoulders," Rene told them both, the strain apparent in her voice, "We'll have to stitch him back up here,"

"Cant we take him to Gotham General?" Ally gasped and Rene snorted a reply.

"And how we will _explain_ this? We'll have the child authorities in here by morning!"

Selina went cold. _She had done this. She had done this!_

"Sweetheart," Ally soothed the boy on the bed, "You have to be brave. We'll try and make this quick. You hold my hands OK?"

"Cant you give him something?" Jonah complained, the horror of what was about to happen, etched into the deep lines of his face. Ally and Rene looked at one another, their faces stony and full of remorse. It was a look which to Selina, meant something bad was about to happen.

They didn't _have _anything to give him. They were trained nurses, able to carry out this sort of procedure, but Humberside was a children's home, not a hospital. Selina realised that this was the purpose of the white room. It was where bad stuff happened sometimes.

Hot, sticky tears, trickled onto her face, stinging her cut lip. She turned away from the door, her heart like a dying bird in her chest.

"_Hold him_!" was the last thing she heard Rene say before she ran for the stairs, unable to take another second of this.

_It wasn't my fault!_ She wanted to scream at them, _He attacked me. He touched me._

More frightening than the boy's laughter, more terrifying than his strange voice and shallow breathing, was what came now.

He was having his face sewn back together. And he didn't make a sound.


	5. The Problem with Selina

**Hi everyone. Thank you so much for adding me to your favs and alerts. And thanks to those who have been giving me some really fab reviews. This next chapter is a bit more Selina centred and it's getting an insight of her from other characters. Sorry for the lack of action in this chapter, it's more to move the plot along, but I have the weekend off, yay, so will be working on more over that time. Thanks again and please let me know your thoughts.**

**I own none of the DC Comic characters.**

**The problem with Selina**

"Where have you _been_?" Suzie accused the moment Selina hobbled into bed and pulled the covers up to her chest. Despite the thick heat in the crowded room, Selina felt frozen.

"Selina!" Suzie hissed impatiently but was again met with silence. Selina rolled onto her side, not able to look at her. Shame and guilt was written over every inch of her face. Her sleep was light and restless, aware of every noise and every movement in the room around her. Her ankle throbbed and her lip felt like it was twice the size. She buried her head in her pillow, the shock of what had happened in the white room making her body buzz from adrenaline. She shook and twisted in her sleep.

In the morning, she woke to find that she was one of the last of the children to get up. Normally there was a strict seven thirty am rule, where they all had to be up, washed and dressed so that the cleaners could come around and check their beds. Someone had obviously decided to let Selina sleep in this morning.

Gathering up her jeans and usual long sleeved T shirt in a bundle, she hurried along the corridor to her washroom, relieved to find that most of the residents were having breakfast. She locked the ground floor bathroom behind her and began to run the tap, filling the sink with warm soapy water. Her ankle felt better but as Selina ran a cloth along her shin bone she was shocked at what she found. Finger marks. Her ankle, the one he'd held in his hand had a bruise around the whole width, where he'd seized it so hard. She flinched as water dripped down, the flesh so tender there. She dried and dressed hurriedly, then ran a comb through her ratty blonde locks. In the mirror she surveyed the damage to her lip and was relieved to see that it was not as big as it felt. But she looked strange, somehow different. Images of the boy being held down on the bed came back to her in flashes. It made her stomach lurch.

Selina felt odd. Changed. Like she had somehow come undone at the seams. The memory of his hands burning on her skin, seeking out her ultimate secrets, discovering something that nobody ever felt was making her feel different. He'd _touched _her. _Nobody_ did that. She couldn't describe how she felt, but it was all wrong. Swallowing tears, she unlocked the bathroom and cautiously stepped outside.

Jonah was waiting at the foot of the stairs for her, his arms folded across his chest. His eyes were black and ringed with shadows, his face more lined than ever. Selina hesitated by the door, hoping she could sneak by him but too late he saw her.

He took a breath and motioned for her to come to him. Selina's heart dropped to the pit of her stomach.

"We need to talk to you," he said tightly, restrained, "Be in the office in twenty minutes. Go get some breakfast,"

Breakfast! Selina didn't think she could manage a sip of water let alone a meal. Her stomach was churning violently. She ducked her head into the dining room, the noise of over twenty chattering children drifting out to greet her. She grimaced, noticing Suzie and Tony sitting alone at a table with their heads together, obviously gossiping about the nights events. Suzie glanced up at her and waved, but on wooden legs Selina backed out the door. She did a turn and decided that she would wait at the office. At least it was quiet and she could be by herself.

The nurse's office was in a quiet corner at the back of the house just next to the dayroom. The door was half open as she approached and she took a deep breath lifting her hand to knock. This was the part where she wished that she had stayed in the bathroom. The voices inside the room, the obvious tension that seemed to drift out, was what stopped her from making her presence known. Selina dropped her hand and stood to the side of the door, sliding down onto her haunches. She really needed to learn to not to keep listening at doors!

"Its…it's not a good idea Rene," Ally's voice was weak and tired, "That boy needs seclusion and rest….after what we did last night…"

"We have to move on from that now," Rene replied tightly, "We did what we _had _to and he'll survive. He'll heal far better with us than if Jonah had left him in that awful place. Last night was a mistake and we need to move on,"

"So the question is," Jonah's voice drifted from a corner, "What are we going to do with Selina? She needs to be punished for what she did,"

"Nobody is questioning that!" Ally said and Selina's tummy back flipped, "I mean what on earth was she _doing_ in there?"

"That's what baffles me!" Jonah added, "Its _Selina_ for god sake! I've known that kid for three years and she has never done anything like that before. She's always been so…."

"Cut off," Rene finished his sentence and Selina, still squatting outside the door, narrowed her eyes in confusion.

"I was going to say distant…but yeah, you're right. Sometimes she sits there and just stares into space. So lost in thought….."

"She cuts off her friends, the only _two_ she has in here!" Ally agreed, "She spends hours on her own. I can almost see Suzie and Tony loosing patience with her sometimes. Its like she's there and then…she's not,"

"Selina is nearly nine years old and is close to alienating everyone that cares about her. The only time I've ever seen her show an interest in anything was when Mrs Wayne visited," Rene mused and Selina could hear the other two muttering in agreement.

Her face was flaming. How could they say those things about her? She wasn't cut off or distant? Was she?

"What was she _doing_ in that room?" Jonah muttered again.

"She was curious," Rene said, "Something about that boy has got her attention and that's a break through as far as Selina is concerned,"

Her legs aching from squatting, Selina rose to her feet, realising that now was about the time that she should have been knocking for them. Exhaling softly, she rapped the door with her knuckles.

"Come in Selina," Ally called as she pushed open the door, "Take a seat,"

Selina planted herself in their scratchy arm chair and folded her hands under her bottom. They were all looking at her. Rene was pale and stony faced. Jonah looked his usual haggard self and Ally's hair looked unwashed and untidy. Her eyes were also red rimmed and Selina wondered if she had also had trouble sleeping.

The walls of the nurse's office were painted a soft lime green. It smelled like stale coffee and the walls were plastered with untidy notice boards and health and safety posters.

"Selina," Rene, who was sat behind their desk, leaned forward in her seat, "How's your lip? It looks better,"

Thrown a little, Selina shrugged. "It's Ok,"

"Did that boy….hit you?"

Selina ducked her eyes. She didn't remember him _actually_ hitting her. She remembered climbing over him in the darkness. She remembered scrambling to get away. She remembered the feel of his skin on her fingertips.

"_Selina_," Jonah growled impatiently, "Answer Nurse Rene's question!"

"No," she said at last, "He didn't hit me!"

"Then how did you get that lip?" Rene pressed, "It must have hurt. Cant you remember?" Her voice was soft, but impatient.

"I don't know," her eyes filled up with tears, hot frustrated tears that would sting her face if she allowed them to fall, "I just….I was trying to get away and maybe he caught me….I don't know…."

Rene's face softened a little. "Why were you in the room, Selina?"

This was her chance. She would be able to tell them her side of the story. Except that she had _no_ side to her story. With a sinking feeling, she realised that she had no excuse for what she did. She had no reason to be in there.

"I just wanted to see," she said simply, avoiding their confused eyes, "I was just….I wanted to know why he kept laughing all the time. I wanted to know what was so funny,"

She noticed them all exchange knowing glances.

"Selina," Rene began again after a long pause, "What you did last night is very serious. But I don't believe you meant any harm,"

"I _didn't_! I really didn't I swear!" Selina insisted and Rene held up her hands for her to calm down.

"We have to be honest with you Selina," Rene continued, "The boy up in the white room is a little, shall we say….different. Jonah found him in a bad place. He was hurt badly and we took him in. We don't know much about him; except that he's a little older than you and that he's very, very nervous!"

"Think of him like a little stray cat that has been mistreated," Ally interjected, "He's very shy, scared of us, scared of you and he _wont _speak to anyone,"

Selina lifted up her head, realising that they were talking to her like this for a reason. They were leading to something.

"What happened to him?" she asked softly and watched Jonah's face pale before he turned to face the window. Ally looked up at him warily and then back at Selina.

"We don't know," she replied with a sigh, "We don't even know his name,"

"What you did last night," Jonah said through gritted teeth, "Has seriously set him back,"

"I'm sorry," Selina said again, swallowing the knot in her throat.

She felt the tension in the room growing again.

"We have decided that you do need to be punished," Rene said at last, "And we hope that you'll learn something from what we have planned for you. You need to be more responsible Selina, you need to connect with others and realise that you're not the only one in the whole world sometimes,"

"Your going to devote all your time to helping us," Ally smiled grimly, "You'll help me with the younger children, getting them washed and dressed in the morning. You'll make sure they get fed on time. You'll have chores that Jonah will set for you. And you'll help me with the babies for a couple of hour's everyday,"

Selina nodded solemnly. So far this didn't sound that bad. But then Rene lifted her head.

"Everyday, for one hour, I want you to go up to the white room and read to our new patient," her face was like stone, "You need to make amends for what you did to him. You scared him half to death,"

What! Selina stared at them wide eyed and terrified. She opened her mouth to speak but no words would come.

"But…" she spluttered, "He scared me too!"

"You _shouldn't _have been in there in the first place!" Jonah bellowed making everyone jump.

Selina knew that now was the time to speak. Now was the time to tell them that they were all deluded. She had heard _his_ voice alright and he sure as hell wasn't afraid of an eight year old girl trespassing in his room! Now was the time to say what he had done. To tell them that he had touched her. That he had pinned her to the wall and slid his hands along her arms. Were they all insane?

"It could be good for both of you," Rene took her silence as acceptance of the terms of her punishment, "He needs company and to connect with someone. You need to learn that you're not alone in the world. There are others that have suffered like you Selina. And we do know how you've suffered,"

_Then don't send me into that room with that deranged….bizarre….don't send me into that room!!_

The three adults exchanged looks and Selina bit down on her lip. She would have to see him again. She would have to talk to him. The embarrassment was bad enough after knowing what had happened, but to have to sit and face him, and _read_ to him. It was almost unthinkable.

_Just tell them_, a little voice was hissing in her ear_, just tell them what happened_.

Selina was lost. One half of her was appalled at what they were suggesting. They just didn't know what he was capable of. But the other half of her was guilt stricken. She should have never been inside the white room and part of her felt that she had gotten what she deserved. And the memory of him huddling under the bed, his body trembling and blood pooling around his head, somehow kept coming back to her making her shudder involuntarily. She had _done_ that to him.

"See, this is what I was talking about!" Jonah muttered in a low voice but Selina heard him plainly. She'd gone again. She had never realised before that she even did that, but then it explained a lot. It explained Tony's frustration and it told her why Suzie often just gave up on her, leaving her alone in her own little world.

_They're giving up on me_, she thought miserably, _because I'm like stone. _

The realisation of this fact only seemed to make her depressed and she folded her arms across her chest.

"You can start this afternoon," Rene told her, her fingernails drumming against the desk top, "Jonah will be nearby when you go up,"

Moodily, Selina stared down at her hands, now in her lap. "OK,"

Jonah stalked out of the room, his disgust at her behaviour obvious but she was past caring. Rene slipped out from behind the desk and followed him, her face pale and tense. They thought this would be good for her. They thought that this would solve the problem with Selina.

Selina snorted. They didn't know what that boy was really like. But she did! She was the one who'd been grabbed in the dark, half terrified and pinned to the wall.

So fine, they were sending her into a lion's den, but she was prepared for it now and she would prove that he wasn't as innocent as they thought.

Ally was the only one left in the office with her and Selina felt her concerned eyes on her. The older girl stood and brushed past Selina as she walked by, her hand lightly touching her brushed blonde hair. Selina flinched away without thought.

"Selina," she said carefully, disappointment in her voice, "If you ever want to tell me….what really happened in that room, if you want to talk, you can trust me. You have to see things from our view point. What you did was so _unlike_ you,"

"I said I was sorry," Selina mumbled, "I can't do anymore,"

"I know," Ally knelt in front of her, so close that Selina could feel the heat radiating from her body. It made her want to cry more than ever. It made her want to fold herself up in her lap and be held. But Selina kept her face as stone cold as Rene's had been.

"Did that boy hurt you?" Ally asked, her voice deadly calm and blunt. Her kind, tired eyes searched her face but she kept her own eyes low. Selina lifted her chin after a long pause.

"No," she lied through clenched teeth, "No he didn't hurt me, not really,"

Ally's face was pained, frustrated. "Then what _happened?"_ she insisted, "If you tell me the truth then we can work things out,"

Selina shook her head defiantly. "No, you're all right about me. I shouldn't have been in that room and I should be punished for what I did,"

Sighing, Ally stood, her knees groaning. "Sometimes Selina you say things and I forget that you're just a girl,"

Selina closed her eyes and waited for Ally to leave before she let herself cry. The relief of letting the tears come was overwhelming and she leaned across her knees and sobbed. Fear and dread exploded within her, making her feel violently sick, but she knew in her heart that it was the right thing to do.

So she would carry out her punishment. She would try and connect with another child her own age, which apparently she had so far been unsuccessful at. But she would also prove that he was not to be trusted.

Selina thought about the last thing that Ally had said to her and it made her tears come faster and hotter on her already swollen face.

She wished so many times that she could be, just a girl.

**Hope you all liked! Joker blogs new episode on you tube Saturday night! Woohoo!!**


	6. Playing with Matches

**Hi all and once again thank you so much for all the reviews, encouragement and support! Special thanks to freelancerseal, Alice's restaurant and nlech16. You guys are great and really keep me going.**

**Hope you enjoy and please let me know your thoughts and suggestions.**

**I own none of thr DC Comic Characters.**

**Playing with Matches**

Gotham City, after its unexpected heat wave was now covered in heavy, grey cloud, ready at any second to burst and torrent down upon its long suffering citizens. The air was still thick and humid, the recent storm having done nothing to clear the air.

Selina stood in the door of the white room, hot embarrassment across her face like vivid scorch marks. Exhaling gently, she tried to forget the recent events that had occurred in this room. She tried to pretend that it wasn't the same boy, laying like a limp rag doll in the metal framed bed. His hands were hanging freely at his sides and once again, Selina noted that his hands poked a way out of the blue pyjama top they had dressed him in, obviously far too small for his age group. She could make out the shape of his form under the stiff sheets and marvelled that he actually was quite tall. Taller than her and she was big for her age. His head still bound in those awful looking bandages, was turned to the right, away from her as if he were staring towards the window. Whoever had tended to him last had left the window open a crack so that the air could freshen the stale smelling room and the sound of the younger children playing outside drifted up to them. She wondered dimly if it made him envious to hear them doing what he couldn't do. That he was stuck in here while they were outside ducking in and out of the sprinklers, cooling their hot skin.

Selina had spent a good portion of the morning on her hands and knees, scrubbing the tiled floor of the communal bathroom, the one she never used and her hands were red and smelled like bleach. Then she had helped Ally up in the nursery, changing and feeding the little residents of Humberside, a job which she hadn't found that unpleasant. She was amazed that Ally trusted her so willingly and Selina had taken one of the boys and rocked him by the window for a good half an hour before he fell into a deep sleep. She had caught Ally gazing at her sadly, that look of pity on her face that Selina had become all too familiar with over the years. She'd promptly handed the boy back to Ally and got on with changing the other little ones. Later at lunchtime, she had looked for Suzie and Tony. They weren't in their usual place around back, over the wall and Selina had given up, contented to go back to the Dining room. Loneliness overwhelmed her and she poked at her food, still feeling too sick to really eat.

Then Jonah had come and found her.

"Alright," he had said gruffly, "Time to go upstairs."

Like a prisoner waiting for the lethal injection, Selina had followed him on wooden legs, her heart hammering in her chest. When they reached the top step, Jonah turned to her unexpectedly and put one of his heavy hands on her shoulder, so abrupt that Selina wouldn't have been able to duck away if she'd tried. The movement was so unlike Jonah that she stared up at his lined, craggy face.

"You're doing a good thing," he said, his jaw tight, "Remember that."

Desperately wanting to take comfort in his words, she smiled anxiously up at him, preying that any second he would see sense and tell her that it had all been a test. A bad joke. That she didn't have to go back in that room, with the only other person in the world who knew what was she was fiercely protecting under her clothes.

"I'll be down the hall. I've got the windows to clean," he said lifting his hand off her shoulder and she swayed on her feet, "I'll come and get you in an hour….but you holler if you need anything."

_Oh I'll holler alright, _Selina thought miserably, _I'll scream so loud that the cops will come banging at the door!_

As if sensing her thoughts, she watched in horror as his head turned in her direction.

She stepped into the room, her feet sliding mechanically across the polished floor.

Suddenly she spotted something that gave her the smallest scrap of comfort. Either side of the bed, there were two large leather straps. She hadn't seen them before as they were carefully hidden under the bed sheets. He was strapped down, she realised. Then it hit her hard. They knew he was dangerous. Or _someone _knew he was dangerous. Why strap him down? Why lock him in at night?

Suddenly she didn't know if she felt better or more afraid. _Someone_ in this house believed that more had gone on last night than Selina had claimed. One of them believed that she wasn't to blame for what happened. Why else strap him down?

Confidence building in her stride she stopped at the foot of the bed, feeling his cold eyes on her. She realised that she had never actually seen him this close before. Breath came from him in shallow, wheezy puffs. Blood matted his blonde curls together in dry, sticky looking clumps and Selina thought that must be uncomfortable, but not as bad as the muslin that was keeping his face together. She remembered the feel of the clumsy stitching under her fingers, the hot inflamed flesh being held together by wire thread.

Turning away, she saw the pile of books that one of the nurses had left balancing on the windowsill. Selina pulled one from the top and pressed it against her chest, turning back to him. She gasped to see that his head, once again had turned in her direction, his eyes following her wherever she went. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck prick up. Dragging a chair, hearing it scrape across the floor, she planted herself down at the foot of the bed, well out of arms reach in case he should try lunging for her.

"OK," she said aloud, her voice strange in the big empty room. She stared down at the front cover of the book.

Humberside had received a large donation from the Wayne Foundation earlier in the year and one of Rene's first spends was at Gotham Children's Library in the city centre. A delivery van had pulled up the following week, the driver carrying in cratefuls of books. Selina wasn't much of a reader but she knew that this one was an old story and for some reason when Ally had read it all to them one time, it had made the nurse cry and she had left the day room hurriedly, leaving them all staring after her.

"The Little Match Girl," Selina said out loud, once again the clarity of her voice surprising her. Keeping her eyes down on the book she ploughed straight into it. Selina was just about average when it came to reading and writing and she stumbled and stammered over some of the words, at times loosing her place and having to go back. The writing was small and she followed it with her fingertip, until she relaxed enough to sit back in the chair and bring her feet up to the edge of the bed, balancing the book on her knees while she read.

Occasionally she looked up and found his eyes on her, which only made her concentrate harder. Was he even listening to her? The clock on the far left wall seemed to tick loudly in her head and she willed time to pass faster.

_Only one hour_, she thought looking up at the clock and realising that only half of that time had passed. She flicked the last page and swallowed as she read the last word, closing the book. Darting her eyes up at him, she was relieved to find that his were shut. He'd actually fallen asleep. Was he just faking it?

Running her tongue over the small swelling in her lip, she pushed the chair back and it scraped loudly across the floor. Selina winced as his eyes opened.

Then he spoke and she shivered; the voice too strange and old coming from someone his age.

"Again," he said plainly and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"You want me to read this one again? Don't you want a different one?" she asked, confused.

"_Again_," he repeated and for some reason turned his head away. Selina glimpsed the dried blood on the bright white pillowcase beneath his head and she wondered when last he'd been washed properly. She wondered if he even let anyone touch him.

She turned the book over in her hands and started again from the beginning, finding it tedious the second time around. But she was quicker and more fluent, remembering the words she had stumbled over the first time and changing them to ones she preferred if it fit. She jumped a mile when Jonah appeared in the doorway, hovering there, watchful and apprehensive.

"Five minutes, Selina," he said, eyeing her warily and then casting a glance at the boy in the bed.

Selina nodded, relief flooding through her. He left and she carried on, happily missing large chunks of the story, skimming though to get to the end. When she had finished, she closed the book softly and looked up to once more see his eyes were closed.

She lifted her bottom off of the chair carefully and stood.

_Time to leave_, she thought distantly, but for some reason her legs wouldn't move. Instead she found herself watching the slow rise and fall of his chest. She inched closer, amazed by the thickness of his dark eyelashes against his cheeks. She found herself intrigued, curious as to what he really looked like under all that gauze.

His eyes flew open. Selina gasped, tried to step back but he seized her wrist with lightening speed, yanking her across the bed, so close that she could smell stale sweat and disinfectant that engulfed him like an aura.

_I forgot_, she scolded herself mentally, her eyes welling up; _I was so stupid to forget!_

He inched his torso off the bed, bringing his mouth close to her ear, his laboured breath on her neck.

"See you tomorrow, little match girl," he whispered before letting go of her wrist. Selina fell backwards, bumping the chair and knocking the book off the bed. It clattered to the floor, but she was across the room, wiping her wet eyes before Jonah could get through the door.

She ignored him, unable to meet his narrowed eyes as she dashed past him.

"Selina what's the matter?" he cried after her, hearing her sneakers slapping down the stairs. Jonah cast a glance at the boy, who had settled back against his damp pillow, soft, childish laughter bubbling out of his lips. It was then that reality hit the older man squarely between the eyes and it was like he was seeing the boy in the bed for the first time. He finally saw what Selina had seen.

Jonah shivered inwardly and backed out of the door, making sure he locked it after him.

////

Mrs and Mrs Wayne were to have a televised funeral. Six o clock came and Selina found herself holed up in the day room, squashed next to Suzie on the couch as it was announced on the news. Tony was sitting cross legged by their feet, complaining that he never got to sit on the couch with them, the younger children taking all the space. After the incident in the white room, Selina had been desperate for normality. She'd dashed outside, finding her playmates in their usual spot behind the house, playing cards. They'd smiled up at her and she took that as an invitation to join them. Then for the next few hours she was just Selina again. She forgot all about being a 'problem' and forgot all about what she had done. Though that didn't stop Tony from pestering her with questions, which she avoided.

"Look if she wants to tell us what happened she will!" Suzie shut him up firmly and Selina could have almost hugged her. They played until it was time for dinner, Ally calling them indoors.

Having eaten nothing all day, Selina found she was ravenous and scooped up all her mashed potatoes, despite them being lumpy and grainy. Humberside didn't have the best cook in the world and the children often made do with undercooked vegetables and hard, tough cuts of meat. After dinner, feeling full and sleepy, Selina joined her friends in the day room, where they were allowed to have their television time.

She swallowed the lump in her throat as images of Mr and Mrs Wayne flashed across the old, dusty screen. The picture showed them getting off an aeroplane, arm in arm, perhaps after a long holiday away some where. Mrs Wayne's crimson lips were smiling, happy and so in love with the dark haired man on her arm. Selina looked away miserably, absentmindedly rubbing the welt on her wrist, where _he_ had seized her so hard and pulled her across the bed. It ached and she was glad that she had long sleeves to cover the purple bruise that was already showing there.

"OK, listen up guys!" Rene said, bustling into the day room. She picked up the remote control and flicked the television off. Ally had been quietly perched on the arm chair, holding one of the smaller girls, Tandy and combing her thick black hair. Ally stared up at her colleague. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong exactly." Everyone in the room had turned their attention to the slightly older nurse.

"Wayne Enterprises have been on the phone and they are the ones organising the funeral. They have invited us, plus eight of our children, seeing as we were a big recipient of Mrs Wayne's charity work. They thought it would be nice if we were to come and pay our respects?"

Ally leaned forward in the chair and Tandy hopped to the floor.

"That's wonderful!" she said. Ally turned her head towards the couch and looked directly at Selina and Suzie, smiling sadly at them.

"I thought we should take the three eldest," Rene agreed by nodding in the direction of the couch. "And maybe Peter, Sharon, Taylor and Harris?"

Ally nodded. "We should take Becky as the eighth. I'm worried that Harris is a little too young still? All those people and don't forget the press too! He's nervous just going to bed at night."

Rene placed her hands on her hips, her eyes scanning the untidy day room.

"Well alright….how about Thomas instead?" she suggested and Ally nodded in agreement.

"When is the funeral?" Jonah asked. He had a bad habit of creeping up on people; despite his size he was amazingly light-footed. That was what made him so good at his job. He was always catching the children doing something that they shouldn't be doing. You couldn't hide anything from him.

"It's on Friday afternoon," Rene answered and Jonah raised an eyebrow.

"That's fast work! It's Thursday tomorrow," he commented and Rene shrugged her narrow shoulders.

"It's a cut and dry case; they know how they died," she said thoughtlessly and immediately threw Ally a sheepish look. Selina was listening intently, as was Suzie and Tony sitting at her feet. Sometimes the adults forgot they were there. They took it for granted that they didn't understand. But they did.

"I mean….well I suppose they just want to close the book on it. It's going to be a big event, press, celebrities. They were an important couple."

"They were a _nice _couple," Ally added, her voice strained and tired. "Everyone loved Mrs Wayne. And that poor little boy is on his own now, in that great big place in the middle of nowhere! It's not a great way for a boy to grow up, without a mom and dad."

Jonah chuckled, which to Selina always indicated he was about to say something unpleasant.

"I'm sure his trust fund will help him get through it," he quipped and Ally threw him a glare. Selina wondered what a trust fund was.

Rene clapped her hands together. "So we have stuff to organise! Selina, seeing as you're helping us at the moment, we'll need you to help get the younger ones ready tomorrow. Suzie can help you. Ally you need to sort out some smart clothes for the bigger ones, a tie for Tony…."

She was still chattering away to herself as she left the room and Ally was out of her seat and following her down the hall. Jonah pushed himself away from the door frame and followed, and they heard the door to the office shut loudly behind them.

Suzie let out a long sigh and looked at Selina, still squashed next to her on her right.

"Why are you helping them? Did you do something bad?" she asked quietly.

Selina exhaled and launched into the story of how she came to be in the white room and how she had been caught. Like earlier when she was racing through the book, desperate to get to the last sentence, she left out the part where he had cornered her in the dark and how they had tussled. She didn't tell them that she was responsible for the boy ripping out his stitches. She was unable to take Tony's constant questioning and thought that maybe it was time she opened up, seeing as the nurses thought she had problems connecting with other children. She had to give them something. At least it would keep them off her back when she disappeared for an hour everyday.

Tony had been listening and turned around to face the two girls. He was wide eyed and interested.

"So what's his story?" he probed. "Why is his head wrapped up like a mummy?"

Selina stumbled over her words. "I don't know," she lied. "I think he got hurt. Nurse Ally said that he had been through some bad stuff and he won't talk."

"Has he spoken to you?" Suzie leaned closer, her eyes alight with interest. Selina shifted uncomfortably in her seat, suddenly feeling guilty and remorseful.

_See you tomorrow, little match girl._

She shook her head. "No, he hasn't said a word. It was as boring as hell having to sit there reading to him. He just stares into space."

Why was she suddenly lying for him? Pain flickered in her wrist and she winced inwardly, remembering too well, his voice and his cold, empty eyes, staring at her while she read to him. She told herself that by lying she was protecting them. If Tony found out that anything else had gone on up there, he would probably be up there in a flash, dying to find out more. It wasn't often that anything really interesting happened in this place and Selina worried he would see it as a mystery that needed solving. And something deep told her that maybe Tony wouldn't be as lucky as she had been. That boy in the bed was strapped down for a reason and she had a feeling that he had been holding back that night when he was loose. Something told her that he was capable of so much more.

"That's all," Selina finished with a fake yawn. "I'm beat and I have a day of chores ahead of me tomorrow. I think Jonah wants me to help him with the gutters."

"Gross!" Suzie said, catching Selina's yawn and stretching her arms above her head, "See you in the morning."

Selina hauled herself of the couch, her body aching from her hard labour earlier this morning. Her hands still stung from the hot water and bleach that she had used to clean the bathroom floor. Groaning and suddenly exhausted, Selina hobbled up the stairs, wondering if sleep would come easily tonight. She cracked open the bedroom door when she heard a door slam upstairs on the second floor. Her hairs pricking up she wondered who was up there, knowing that Jonah and the others were down in the office. On numb legs she wandered to the foot of the stairs and peered up to the top, the landing shrouded in darkness.

Her voice was soft. "Is that you?" Her hands trembled at her sides. He was strapped down, _wasn't_ he? She clearly remembered him being strapped down on that metal bed.

"Are you up there?" she called again. Her heart hammering, she put one foot on the step, then the other, a distant part of her brain screaming at her to go back.

_It was just the house making noises. He is strapped to that bed. Jonah locked him in. Just go back to your room!_

No. He had been there. She knew somehow that he had been there, listening on the stairs. It was like his presence was leaving behind a trail that only she could sense. Like when she'd felt his eyes on her in the dark. She could feel him.

Her head became level with the landing and she half prepared herself for something to launch out to her in the dark, her breathing raspy and scared.

Then she saw the scrap of paper on the top step. Narrowing her eyes she reached for it and snatched it into her fist. Staring around her wildly, she flew back down the stairs and hurried into her bedroom, switching on the lights as she went.

Selina scurried to her bed in the corner and uncurled her fist, staring down at the scrap of lined paper, which looked like it had been torn from a note book. She read the words written there, scrawled in messy, childish handwriting.

She let out a little cry and then scrunched the paper into a ball, throwing it across the room. Breathing hard, she settled back on her pillow, staring up at the ceiling and wondering how on earth he'd managed to get out, the words on the paper tearing through her head.

It only had four words written on it, but that was enough to keep her from sleep that night. It had read;

_My name is Jack._


	7. Underneath

**Hi all! Sorry this has taken me so long! This is a bit of a long one I'm afraid and I hope you are still enjoying it. Please review or let me know your thoughts. As always a big thanks to those who have been giving me some fantastic feedback, especially Glasgow smile, nlech16 and Alice's restaurant. I want to say a very huge thank you so the freelancerseal, who has taken time to help me with this chapter. I hope you're not disappointed!**

**I own none of the DC Comic Characters.**

**Underneath**

Once more Selina found herself in the white room. She had spent the morning cleaning out the oven and the raspy metal on the scrubbing pad she had used caused her fingers to crack and bleed. Then she had helped Ally in the nursery. Selina was ratty from lack of sleep; the few fragments she managed to catch were corrupted with strange, cloudy dreams. She woke that morning sweating hot and entangled in her covers. Leaving the bedroom she noticed that the scrap of paper she had screwed up and tossed across the room was still there, lying unnoticed in a corner. She picked it up, ripping it into little pieces before tossing them into the bin.

Why had he come here? Selina seemed to remember that her life was so much better before he had arrived. Yes she was alone in the world; but at least her waking hours weren't filled with terror and fear. Fear of going back up into that room. Fear of having to spend an hour in his oppressive company, while she read, her voice trembling and vulnerable in that big, empty room, and him just staring and staring.

She thought this as she took the stairs up to the second floor.

Why did he have to come here? Why was it her world he was ruining?

She found herself staring at his sleeping form from the doorway, hardly able to breathe, hardly able to put one foot in front of the other.

"I'm outside if you need me," Jonah's voice startled her. She turned and saw that the older man was dressed in mucky overalls. "I'm cleaning the gutters and will be stuck up a ladder, but just give me a shout if you need me?"

She nodded. "I'll be fine."

He gave her a weary smile before padding off down the stairs, the sound of his disappearing footsteps making her feel even more lonely. Selina exhaled and made her way towards the bed, scraping the chair out and planted herself at the foot of it. She folded her arms and stared at him, swallowing as his eyes fluttered open to greet her.

"Hey _Jack_," she said through gritted teeth. "I'll bet everyone would love to know how you manage to get out of this bed, when your supposed to be strapped to it!"

He ran a tongue across his lips, which she could see were cracking from dehydration. His bandages appeared fresher and cleaner since the last time she'd been in here, and the smell in the room wasn't half as bad, she noticed. The linen had been changed on the bed, and she could see that his hair had been washed, the matted clumps of dried blood gone. Maybe whoever had tended to him was the one who had forgotten to strap him back down? After all, Selina reasoned, they wouldn't have been able to wash him properly. She ran her hand under the starchy sheet and felt the thick leather strap between her fingers. She checked that it was fastened under the bed and then breathed a sigh of relief.

Feeling confident enough to turn her back on him, she heaved the pile of books into her arms and stacked them on the edge of the bed.

"So _Jack_," she said, trying to make her voice braver than she felt. "What shall we choose?"

She flipped through the pile and found one with an interesting cover. She recognised the classic children's fable and dumped the pile on the floor by her feet.

"This is a good one!" she smiled grimly. "It's got pirates, mermaids and Indians! And it's long, so it'll keep us busy for an hour."

Selina leaned back in the chair and began to read out loud. Every line, every new page, she became more and more confident, and actually for the first time felt herself relaxing. Yawning, she leaned across the bed, her elbow supporting her weight. Outside she could hear the distant sounds of the children playing on the lawn. She could hear Jonah muttering to himself as he clambered up and down the ladder. It was like pure silence in this room, she could hear nothing except her own deep breathing and the melodic tick of the clock on the wall. Selina flipped through the book, resting her head on her outstretched arm, her eyes growing heavier with every tick of the clock. She yawned again and tried to sit up but her head felt like a ton weight on her shoulders. She stared at the colourful illustrations on the glossy pages and wondered what it would be like to live underground in a cave beneath a tree, fight pirates everyday, and never, ever grow up. That didn't appeal to Selina at all. Being stuck in this body, when sometimes she felt so at war, so trapped the way she was. She longed for the time when she would grow. When she could wear lipstick and curl her hair.

"What! What did you say?" she was suddenly up on her feet, fighting off a wave of dizziness. She swayed and looked at the clock in horror, realising that an hour had long passed. Her heart hammering in her chest, she whirled about. He was still laying there in the bed, staring intently at her, as though her sudden outburst amused him.

Selina rubbed her eyes frantically, her mouth dry and parched. She had fallen asleep!

"What….how long was I asleep?" she asked him, as though _he_ would actually give her an answer. She stared again at the clock on the wall and groaned. Footsteps were slapping heavily up the stairs and Jonah appeared in the doorway, covered in muck and dirt.

"Selina, I forgot the time!" he called. "Come on, we have to do some cleaning downstairs."

Selina, confused and still disorientated walked numbly to Jonah's side, ignoring the quizzical stare he was throwing her. She cast a glance over her shoulder as she left the room. The boy lifted his fingers off the bed and wiggled them in what she supposed was a goodbye gesture, the very corners of his mouth curling up into what she thought was a smile. But what disturbed her more than that, was the sight of the two leather straps hanging loose at the side of the bed.

////

"Sit still Selina!" Ally complained and Selina yelped as the plastic toothed comb caught another one of her ratty knots.

"Ouch!" she ducked away but Ally caught her shoulders and forced her to sit up straight. The torture continued, every nerve in her scalp on fire as the older woman assaulted it without any mercy, until Selina's dishevelled locks became a mane of golden curls.

"That's better," Ally soothed. "Thanks for being so patient today Selina. This has been more stressful than I ever thought it would be."

Selina shrugged her shoulders. "It's Ok."

Ally patted her shoulder. "You've really been a help. Bathing the younger ones, sorting out their clothes….convincing Tony to take a bath!"

Selina giggled remembering that she had more pushed him into the soapy water rather than persuade him to get in it. Selina was taller than him and could be quite forceful when she wanted to be. She had spent the whole of Friday morning, sweating over an ironing board, making sure that the little shirts and the small pairs of trousers were ready for the funeral today. Then she had helped Ally feed and change the babies before they were put down to sleep. So far today, she had been let off her reading duties, what with helping the nurses with the funeral arrangements and she hoped very much that they would take pity on her today.

"Lets get you dressed," Ally said retrieving Selina's white shirt and underwear from over the radiator where they had been left to dry. They were in Ally's room, a small, tidy bedroom on the ground floor. It smelled like soap and perfume and Selina had been intrigued by the different shaped bottles filled with coloured liquid on her dressing table.

Selina took her clothes out of Ally's hands and the older woman understood.

"Use the bathroom if you like," she nodded and Selina headed gratefully to the closed door to the side of the bed. It took Selina a few tries to pull her black tights on successfully, getting them on the wrong way and then getting them twisted on the second go. She buttoned her crisp white shirt up to her throat and then pulled the black shift dress over her head. When she emerged from the bathroom Ally, who was fastening a pair of earrings, smiled at her approvingly.

"Don't you look pretty in a dress!" she exclaimed. "I don't think I've ever seen you in one. It suits you. Come here a minute?"

Ally knelt down in front of the younger girl and then turned her back on her.

"Can you fasten my top button, please?" she asked and Selina nodded, finding the little loop with her fingertips and popping the button in place.

"Thanks, now you sit here," Ally stood and guided Selina to her dressing table chair, making her sit squarely in front of the mirror.

"I have something for you to wear today. Seeing as how you've been such a help."

Ally's reflection in the mirror smiled down at her from where she stood behind Selina and she watched in wonder as Ally retrieved a little box from one of the draws and handed it to her.

Selina stared down at the little box in her hand. "Open it then!" Ally laughed.

Selina lifted the lid to see a pair of tiny, diamond earrings nestled in the foam padding inside the box. She sighed and smiled timidly but then her face fell.

"I don't have holes!" she wailed and Ally smiled, taking the earrings out of the box and holding them in the palm of her hand.

"They're only clip-ons," she smiled, pushing Selina's hair back behind her ears. She snapped one in place on Selina's earlobe and the younger girl winced slightly.

"I know it's a bit uncomfortable at first, but I wear them all the time. It's what we girls have to do if we want to look pretty. And I know you want to look pretty today. I know how much you loved Martha Wayne."

Ally fastened the other earring in place and then held out a hand held mirror. Selina turned her head from side to side, admiring the small delicate jewels shining against her skin. She blushed and smiled shyly, the knot in her throat making her eyes fill up at the sound of Mrs. Wayne's name.

Ally sighed and touched her hand to Selina's gently. "She would be very proud of you, of all of her Humberside children. Do you know that she always commented what a pretty girl you are and how much she wanted a daughter that looked like you?"

Selina blinked. "Like me? _Really_?" That knot in her throat was getting harder to swallow.

"Of course," Ally smiled, a little watery eyed. "You _really _don't know what you look like do you Selina? You have no idea of what a beauty you'll become."

Selina ducked her head and Ally guessed what she was thinking. The older woman placed her hands on Selina's shoulders and ran her hands down her arms, which was something most people never got to do. Selina flinched and Ally removed her hands.

"And as for _those_," the older woman gestured to Selina's body with her eyes. "When you're a big girl, you'll learn that what's underneath your skin is what matters. There is more to you than scarring, Selina. Though it probably doesn't feel that way now. One day you'll meet someone who'll prove that to you."

There was a rap at the door and Ally got to her feet, pulling her coat from over the chair.

"Are you ready?" she asked slipping the wool coat over her shoulders. Selina slipped on her patent leather shoes and nodded. Ally quickly got Selina into her coat and then gave her a playful pinch on the nose.

"It's going to be a sad day," Ally warned her, taking the younger girl's gloved hand in hers.

Rene had ordered two large black cars to drive the eight children and three nurses of Humbersideto Gotham City centre. Selina pressed her nose to the glass as they left the dirty, grimy place she had come to know as home and watched as the run down factories and narrow alley ways became high rise sky scrapers. Looming buildings made of shining glass and steel, like giants among men. Suzie, Selina, Tony and Ally were in the first car with Rene. Nurse Hayley and the remaining five children were in the second. Selina narrowed her eyes as they pulled up along a cobbled street, where she saw armed police officers waving them into position. There were hundreds of people being held back by barricades, the streets lined with photographers and camera crew, light bulbs flashing incessantly as they all climbed warily out of the car.

"It's alright," Ally squeezed Suzie's shoulder as the red headed girl stared around her, wide eyed and frightened. "They are just here to take photos. We said that the Wayne's were an important couple."

The Humbersidechildren piled out of the cars and onto the sidewalk, a mass of frightened, confused faces and wide eyed wonder. Many of them had never seen Gotham City and the shock was apparent on their little faces. Photographers clambered over one another to take their pictures and Selina squinted against the bright lights going off in her face. She turned away and gasped at the sight of Gotham Cathedral, a large, oppressive dome building, with turrets that pointed sky wards.

"Come on, come on," Rene's voice sounded above the crowd. Selina grabbed Suzie's hand in hers and pulled her towards the massive stone steps. Either side, spectators were being held back, occasionally throwing flowers in the path of guests that were gathering near the steps. The steps were strewn with roses, lilies and carnations, like a bright colourful pathway of white, pink and red leading them up into the cathedral.

"Don't step on them," Selina hissed at Suzie. She didn't know why but she hated the thought that anyone would crush the beautiful flowers. It seemed thoughtless. They were for Mrs. Wayne after all.

"Stay together," Rene called as they mounted the steps, some of the younger smaller children, needing help with their balance and footing. Inside the cathedral Selina was immediately hit by two things. One it smelled fantastic. It was like someone had bottled what a spring meadow or a fairy tale should smell like and opened it for everyone else to enjoy. The stone, carved floor of the chapel was littered with hundreds upon hundreds of flower bouquets. Selina had never seen so many flowers in her life and she doubted she ever would again. For some strange reason her thoughts turned to the strange boy back at the children's home and she wondered if he ever had seen anything like this. The second thing that hit Selina was the peace inside the chapel. Outside had been noisy and frantic, people calling out to each other and car sirens and alarms going off. It was like they had stepped into another world and despite all the guests in the church, it was so calm. Selina thought she could _feel_ the silence.

Rene ushered them all into the front pews, squashing down so that as many people could fit in as possible. Selina was wedged in next to Suzie and Tony. Her eyes were drawn to the large glossy framed photo of the Wayne's that was on a stand near the pulpit. She ducked her eyes away, that knot getting bigger and felt like a hole had been punched through her chest. They looked so happy in the photo and Selina remembered how Mrs. Wayne had touched the necklace that he had given her, that day on the lawn. She remembered how she had spoken of her husband. Selina imagined her getting ready for their celebratory night out at the ballet. She imagined her putting on her lipstick and doing her hair having no idea of the cruel, merciless way she would leave the world that very night.

After what seemed like an eternity the service began and Selina's legs and bottom ached from sitting still for too long. She noticed Tony wriggling in his seat and she poked him in the ribs to keep still. When they were asked to stand for a hymn, Selina exhaled, relieved to stand and stretch her legs. She stamped her feet on the ground, willing them back to life.

Around her everyone was singing, absorbed in their service sheets that they had been given when they first sat down. Selina held hers with her gloved hands, the glorious sound of voices in union filling the cathedral. Then she saw something which drew her gaze away from the printed sheet.

A boy, roughly the same age and height as her was standing, trembling in the pew opposite them. He had dark, chocolate hair and pale skin, his crisp, pressed suit buttoned right up to his throat. Selina noticed that an older man with grey hair was next to him, a protective arm about the boy's shoulders. They both looked like they were in terrible pain. The older man looked anxious and exhausted and the boy appeared like he was desperate not to cry.

Then Selina realised who he was.

"That's Bruce Wayne over there!" she hissed in Suzie's ear and Suzie gasped, a little too loudly earning a glare from Rene who had heard her.

"Just don't stare," Selina whispered.

Just then the boy huddled closer to the older man who hugged him tightly and Selina felt the knot in her throat tighten.

_I know, I'm sorry,_ she wanted to call out to him; _I really do know how you feel._

A few people came to the alter and read aloud to the congregation, short verses or poems. The words just sounded jumbled and strange to Selina, never having heard a poem before. She wondered why it seemed to mean so much to the people who were reading them, who dabbed their eyes with tissues after stepping down. She didn't think that written words could describe how she felt about Mrs. Wayne. She was more than words, more than pictures in a book. To Selina, the older, elegant woman had been like a single star at night, something so perfect that made you want to reach for it.

When the service ended, a great silence filled the chapel, while everyone filed out. As they dispersed, Selina found herself almost face to face with the dark haired boy, who she now saw was clutching about six stems of velvety red roses. He looked up as she passed him and for a brief moment their eyes met. Selina wished in those few seconds that she could tell him, how truly sorry she was. How she was sorry he was all alone.

The corners of her mouth lifted in a sad smile and to her surprise, as they filed out side by side he mirrored her gesture.

The older grey haired man noticed her and smiled.

"Hello, young lady," he said and Selina noticed that his voice was different, he had a strange clipped accent. "You must be one of the Humberside girls?"

Selina blushed, realising that she had been separated from her group, but somehow she felt safe and that they would catch up with her.

"Yes," she replied timidly. The older man took her smaller hand, shook it firmly and Selina found it impossible not to smile back at him. The boy was staring at her intently.

"Master Bruce," the older man spoke to him. "This young lady comes from the children's home that your mother supported. What's your name my dear?"

"Selina," she said, her cheeks flushing. She had spotted Rene over by the door, her face frantic with worry.

"Master Bruce, why don't you give Selina one of your roses to take home?" the older man said kindly. The boy stared at his bundle of wild, beautiful roses and reluctantly handed one over to Selina. She smiled at him as brightly as she could manage but he looked so crestfallen and weak. His mouth lifted in a tight smile but it didn't reach his eyes.

Gripping the stem in her gloved hand, Selina gasped as Rene snatched her other hand in hers, muttering about her getting lost before she was pulled away and out into the crowd.

Back in the car, Ally scolded her for going wandering and she watched as the old man and the boy appeared on the steps of the church before they pulled away. Miserably she sat back in her seat; the magnificent buildings soon turning into graffiti covered walls and littered sidewalks, until eventually the car pulled up on the stony gravel of Humberside driveway.

She clutched the rose in her hands, touching the soft petals to her lips, taking in the sweet smell, knowing that this scent would always remind her of this day.

Once everyone was back inside, normality ensued. The younger children fought for a place on the couch and Tony complained that he wanted to go outside. The noise engulfed Selina and she wished for the beautiful silence that had filled the church. She felt like her ears were buzzing and her head ached.

Jonah was waiting for her in the hallway and Selina's heart sank. Selina looked up at him and then glanced at Ally who was slipping off her coat behind them.

"Oh, Jonah," she complained. "Surely you can let her off this once? After the day she's had?"

Jonah shrugged, nodding his head towards Rene who was also just coming in the front door after paying the driver. Rene folded her arms and shook her head.

"It's only an hour Selina," she said and Ally pulled a disgusted face. "I'm sure you can manage an hour of your time."

Hurt and annoyed that they would still make her go up into that room after all she had done today, Selina pushed past them, not bothering to take off her coat as she trudged up the stairs. She reached the second floor and for the first time didn't pause at the door of the white room. The boy, Jack still lay motionless in the bed, his eyes following her as she pulled out the chair.

_Let's just get this done, _she thought, her heart sinking. She felt numb and tired, not even _he _intimidated her today.

"So which one?" she said, her voice unnecessarily hard. It didn't sound like her. She turned to the pile of books and picked the one off the top that she had been reading when she'd fallen asleep in here last time.

She sat down and opened the book, setting the rose that she was still holding down on the sheets beside her. Its beauty shone up at her against the stark whiteness of the sheets and it reminded her of Mrs Wayne's red lips against her pale skin.

"Match Girl," he said suddenly and Selina's head snapped up.

"Huh?" she pulled a confused face. "You want me to read that one _again_?"

"Match Girl," he repeated. Sighing, Selina threw the book back on the pile, finding the other book underneath.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Really? I mean you've heard this one _twice_ already!"

He leaned his torso off the bed, cocking his head to one side, his eyes like black holes through that muslin gauze.

"_Match Girl_," he said again, his teeth gritted and Selina shuddered, remembering the feel of his hand curled around her arm and how much it had hurt.

"OK, whatever," she replied, taking her seat back.

Selina read the story. But this time she felt it. She let the words sink into her skin, seeing the pictures in her head. It was like reading the tale for the first time and she saw the snow covered pavements described in the book, she saw the bare footed girl standing on the streets, selling her wares, looking in lit up windows at other happy families. At the end of the tale, Selina watched as the little girl died, her spirit fading, perished by cold as she went to join her grandmother in heaven. Selina finally _got _the story and realised at once why Ally had cried over it that time she'd read it to them.

Selina_ was_the match girl. She was the orphan, alone in an unkind world, looking in at other happy families and wishing for something that she could never have.

Selina, lost for words, closed the book and stared blankly down at the rose laying next to her. The knot that had threatened to dissolve these past days finally loosened, her horror mounting as she realised that she was about to cry. Tears, hot and salty gathered in her eyes, her cheeks scorching, knowing that he was watching her. She could almost feel his intrigue at the sight before him.

_Oh no! Please no, just hold on a bit longer, _she willed but it was useless. She lowered her face to the bed sheets, emotion and tiredness gushing out of her. Images of the day flashed before her. The streets lined with press. The flowers in the church, mountains upon mountains of them. As if any of that could ever bring her back. As if any of them would make it stop hurting.

And Bruce Wayne, his pale face, his sad eyes, filled with something more than grief.

Selina sobbed, balling up her fists.

"Just don't look at me!" she cried into the bed linen. "_Please_ just stop looking at me!"

She didn't know how long she cried for, only after a while, when her throat ached and her eyes felt sore she lifted her head off the bed.

The boy was sitting up, so close to her that she could hear his breathing, deep and raspy, above her. He was stroking his hand through her hair, winding the tendrils of her natural curls around his fingers. The movement was careful, slow and cautious, like she was a little stray cat that would bolt any minute. But it was also hypnotic and strangely, it was comforting. Selina closed her eyes and let him carry on, knowing that she didn't have any strength left to stop him.


	8. People like us

**Hi all. Heres another one. Hope you're all still liking this story. Please, please as always review or let me know if you have any suggestions!**

**Thanks to all who have added me to their alerts/favs. And to those who have left me some fab reviews!**

**I own none of DC Comic Characters.**

**People Like Us**

Days turned into weeks at Humberside Children's home. The scorching heat wave that seemed to have held Gotham City for ransom had finally broken. The leaves were dying, lying crisp and brown in the driveway. The sky was heavy and blackened and it often rained, forcing the younger residents back indoors. Schooling began again after their long summer break. The dining room was set up like a class room and each day, the nurses took turn in giving lessons. Selina had the task of cleaning up the mess the younger children left behind. She found that she was forever wiping up painted finger marks, clearing away the crayons and stacking all the books back up. She didn't really mind, it was nice to see them playing and in the afternoon, she, Tonya and Suzie got their turn. At the moment, Rene was teaching them Math. As they were a little older, it was absurd to have them in lessons with the younger ones, and Selina was one of the best readers and writers in the house, having had all the practice in the white room. Selina hated Math. She found it tedious and dull and often found herself staring gloomily out of the window, her thoughts drifting to the boy upstairs.

Since the Wayne Funeral; her days had consisted of three things. One she was still in hock to Jonah for cleaning duties and she swore that he was now finding it hard to think up new things for her to do. She seemed now so used to the drill that he often found her on her hands and knees in the kitchen, scrubbing the floor, without him even prompting her. The second thing her day consisted of was the lessons that bored her half out of her mind and made her look forward to dinner and their hour in front of the television. Around eleven am every day, was reading hour. Selina was no longer afraid of the white room, or more to the point of _who _was in the white room. Since the funeral, since she had melted down right in front of him, the two very different children and formed a silent truce. He didn't speak often and she felt that was more because it physically hurt him to speak, rather than him not wanting to. Selina had become used to what he said with his eyes. She had gotten to know his strange facial movements and noticed that he had an odd habit of constantly licking his lips, his tongue searching along the scarring that deformed them. She was often there when the nurses came to check his bandages, although none of them had let her stay while they changed them. She had heard them say that they would be coming off soon and she was more excited by this than she let on. Finally she was going to see his face! It also seemed now that, when she read to him, he was listening to her. He didn't seem as far off and distant as he used to and sometimes, when she looked up from the pages of the book she was reading, she caught him smiling or even chuckling to himself. It made her feel strange to see him smile and she didn't know why. It was like she was doing something good for him, and she didn't know why that made her happy. Selina had to admit to herself, she looked forward to seeing him every day. To her dismay, Ally had picked up on it, questioning her when they were folding the laundry together one day.

"You like him don't you?" she'd pried, a strange almost sad smile on her face. Selina had blushed the colour of beetroot and refused to talk about it. She wasn't used to feeling like this. The first time she had stood in the door of the white room, she had been terrified, her stomach literally in knots. Now she didn't feel afraid, but she still felt strange, her body betraying her. It was like she had tickling sensation in her stomach, making her heart pound in a frantic rhythm.

It was Friday, which for Selina meant oven cleaning, mopping the hall, laundry, reading and then lessons. Armed with the can of oven cleaner and scouring pads and gloved up to her elbows, she hopped down the stairs, her mind occupied elsewhere. She didn't see the gentleman standing in the hallway until she collided with his knees. Wincing in embarrassment, she looked up at his older, lined face.

"I'm sorry!" she apologised, gathering her cleaning agents from where they had clattered to the floor in the hallway. The older man chuckled and stared down at her, recognition shining in his crinkly eyes. Selina gasped, recognising him as the man from the Wayne funeral, who had shaken her hand and introduced her to the boy with the sad eyes, Bruce Wayne.

"That's quite alright my dear!" he laughed. "You look like a little cleaning lady with those gloves on. I hate cleaning ovens! Do you remember me?"

Selina nodded, blushing. "Yes, from the funeral."

"And you are....Selina, is that correct?" he bent over to speak to her. Selina nodded, wishing that she wasn't wearing these stupid gloves. She folded her arms behind her back.

"Do you want me to get one of the nurses for you?" she asked politely and he smiled. His smile seemed to reach all the way up to his eyes and for some reason; she took an instant liking to him. He nodded his agreement.

"If you wouldn't mind, my dear," he replied and Selina trotted off to the nurse's office. She noticed for the first time that he had brought in a large cardboard box, which had been sat at his feet while he had been speaking to her. She rapped lightly on the door of the office, receiving a mumbled reply from Rene. Selina poked her head around the corner.

"Uhh. Nurse Rene, there's a man in the hall. He's the man from the funeral," Selina told her and Rene abruptly rose from her chair. She ran her hands over her already, very neat bun and brushed off her apron.

"I'm coming!" she followed Selina out of the door and back into the hall, where they found the man admiring some of the children's art work that Hayley had mounted on the wall, his hands folded behind his back. Selina noticed the clean, pressed suit he was wearing, under a thick, heavy overcoat. He looked so tidy, his hair was neat, his hands encased in leather gloves. She also noticed a smell about him, musky and spicy and she wondered if he was wearing perfume, like Ally did sometimes. The thought made her want to giggle. She tried to picture Jonah wearing a suit like that and that made her want to laugh even more. The older man looked up and beamed at Rene as she approached, holding out his hand to her.

"Mr Pennyworth, it's so nice to get a visit from you. The place is a mess, I apologise....if we had known you were coming..." she was gushing, but he laughed and shook his head, folding two hands over her one.

"Nurse please don't worry," he assured her. "I came here to bring you all something and I was wondering if I could speak to you alone?"

"Of course!" she replied. "We'll go to my office....Selina, weren't you about to start your chores for the day?"

Selina hadn't realised that she had been staring up at them. It was exciting to have a stranger in the house and she had been listening intently until feeling Rene's glare, hot on her face. The man threw her a kind smile, before following Rene to the office, heaving the cardboard box up into his arms before he went. Selina watched him shut the door, leaving it slightly a jar. She set her cleaning products at the foot of the stairs and crept a little closer, until she could clearly hear the conversation going on inside. Rene was still apologising for the mess and he was telling her that it wasn't even bothering him. Selina rolled her eyes. One of her chores was cleaning their office and she was sure that now she would receive the blame for that, no doubt extending her punishment into another month. Selina suspected that Rene liked the fact that they had their own cleaner on the premises and was always finding a reason why she should still be punished, even though it had been over a month since what had happened in the white room.

"I have been trying to make a start on clearing some of the Wayne's belongings out of their room," he began in his strange accent, which Selina now realised meant that he came from England. "You can imagine that it's been a terribly hard time for Master Bruce and I'm alone up there, so making the decision to start has been difficult."

"I understand," Rene said quietly. "How is he coping?"

The man let out a long exhale of air and Selina found herself thinking about the boy she had met in the church. She remembered how totally alone he had seemed, even with the man holding his shoulders.

"He is a strong little man," he replied. "I'm very proud of him."

Selina crept a little closer and slid her back against the wall. She had become very good at listening at doors, often hearing conversations that were probably very private.

"I was clearing some of Mrs Wayne's belongings and it occurred to me that maybe you girls here might like some of her things. She had some very pricey cosmetics, some of them barely touched and I can't find it in me to waste them....I hope you don't think I'm being charitable!"

"No!" Rene gushed and Selina could tell she was smiling. "No! My goodness this is so nice of you....we could never even dream of owning....thank you!"

Selina squatted down on her haunches, hearing the sound of that heavy box being lifted on to the desk. Rene was still gasping and Selina wanted desperately to look at what was in the box.

"There's some old costume jewellery too," the man continued. "You girls do such a fantastic job here and Mrs. Wayne often spoke so highly of you. I know that she'll be happy that you share them out."

Share? Something inside Selina jolted and silently she slid up the wall back up onto her feet. That man wanted Rene to dish the contents out among the nurses of Humberside, equally. Selina found herself running for the stairs, dashing upwards to the first floor nursery. Ally was cradling one of the babies in her arms, cooing lovingly down at it as Selina crashed into the room, out of breath. Ally shot her a quizzical look.

"I didn't think you were helping me today, Selina!" she smiled, grateful anyway and placed the baby back in its crib. Selina darted to her side and tugged her sleeve.

"Rene wants to see you in the office," she lied and Ally frowned. The older woman shrugged and headed out the door. Selina breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'll watch them while you go," she called after Ally, hearing her footsteps trotting down the stairs. Selina crept onto the landing and hung over the banister, her blonde hair falling about her face. She listened while Ally went into the office and heard Rene's surprise as she entered. Now Rene would be forced to tell Ally about the box. Selina suddenly realised that she didn't care if Rene added an extra ten months onto her punishment. She knew that Rene would want the contents of that box all to herself and she couldn't stand the thought of Ally or Hayley missing out. She heard footsteps in the hall, as the gentleman was preparing to leave. Selina crept to the top steps and stared down into the hallway.

"I can't thank you enough for your generosity Mr Pennyworth!" Rene was saying.

"You enjoy it Nurse! You're doing good work here," he told her, before shaking her hand and taking his umbrella from the hat stand. Selina ran to the first floor window that looked down upon the gravel drive, watching as the man opened up his umbrella just as the first few spots of rain began to fall. As if he felt her eyes on his back, the man turned and caught her at the first floor window. Selina smiled and waved and he gave her a little wink. Then his face changed, something had caught his eye above her, near the top of the building. The man stared at it for a long time, his eyebrows knitted together in a frown before turning his back and walking briskly out of the drive, where a car was waiting. Selina felt the goose bumps rise on her arms, even though she was wearing her usual long sleeved sweater. The man had been looking up at the second floor window. As if on cue, she heard light footsteps rush along the corridor above her head and the door to the white room slam shut. Selina shuddered, realising that Jack had been out of bed again.

////

"This is amazing!" Ally was grinning from ear to ear, when she came back upstairs only a few minutes later. She was holding something gathered up in her apron and Selina was wide eyed, following her back into the nursery. Ally, pink cheeked and beaming, lowered herself to the floor and let the contents spill out of her apron. Selina bent down beside her, her eyes transfixed on the small objects on the floor.

"Dior...Chanel....oh my goodness Agent Provocateur! I've always wanted this perfume!" Ally gave Selina a quick hug and brought her lips to the younger girl's ear. "Thank you for telling me."

They looked at one another, a secret confirmed and then Ally began rummaging through her new makeup and fragrance collection. Selina picked up a lipstick case, wrapped in gold packaging, with a silver emblem woven into the metal casing. She clicked the lid off and wound it upwards, her heart beating. It was red lipstick. Mrs Wayne's red lipstick. Selina sniffed it. It even smelled nice, delicately perfumed and she was convinced that this was the one she always wore. It may have been the one had had worn...the night she died.

Selina shuddered, winding it down and closing the lid, pressing it to her chest. Ally glanced at her and patted Selina's shoulder lightly.

"You like it?" she smiled sadly and Selina nodded. "Then you take it. Just don't tell Rene!"

Selina grinned at her. "Thank you!"

Ally smiled, her eyes a little watery. "No. Thank _you._ We both know that Rene would have kept this a secret...wait forget I said that. I shouldn't say those things to you."

Selina felt proud that Ally had felt comfortable enough with her that she could say those things. Despite their vast age difference, it was almost as if Selina had a friend in the world. She watched admiringly as Ally rooted through her new collection.

"Can you imagine being rich enough to own things like these?" Ally thought aloud. "The clothes she owned, the cars they drove. It's a life that I will never have!"

Selina was suddenly shocked and stared at the older woman's profile. How could she know that? How could Ally just resign herself to this existence? Selina lived in the hope that one day, she would have those things, and she could live that life. Who knew what was to come?

"Why can't you?" she asked abruptly and Ally stared back at her, confused.

"Because I just _know _Selina. This is all there is for me," she replied, her voice sad but resolved. "People like us just don't get those kind of opportunities. Mrs. Wayne was a wonderful person but she was born into that life. This is all there is for us, Selina and we have to make the best of it."

Selina was on her feet, her knees aching from being crouched on the floor. Her blood had run icy cold and she felt a horrible sickness rising in the pit of her stomach. The reality of being stuck in Humberside for the rest of her life hit her squarely in the chest and she couldn't breathe. How could Ally be so calm about her complete lack of a future? Selina loved her home but she also had the strong, distinct feeling that this wasn't where she had been meant to end up. She had had a family. She once had another path that had been cruelly ripped away from her. Who knew what she could have been meant for?

"Not me," she mumbled and Ally smiled up at her, surprise and confusion on her face. "I'm not ending my life in here!"

Selina closed her eyes and willed herself to calm down. Why was she so angry?

"Selina," Ally reached for her hand but the child snatched it away. "I never meant that nothing good was ever going to happen to you. Of course you'll leave here. I've no doubt that you'll become a very beautiful woman. You have that at least!"

Selina gritted her teeth. What did Ally mean by that? She was so confused and becoming sick of being spoken to like she wasn't eight years old. They forgot that sometimes. She didn't understand everything they said to her.

Ally quickly forgot her cosmetics and coaxed Selina to sit on the floor next to her. The older woman cuddled her into her side and all Selina could hear were her own heart and the soft, gentle breathing of the babies sleeping in their cribs around them.

"This is Gotham City," Ally began as if that alone was an explanation. "And you'll be a woman, on her own in a city that at times is frightening and unkind. You don't have money and you don't have family. But you will be beautiful, which believe me can get you _everywhere_. I'm not pretty, I didn't have men lining around the block to date me. So I learned and I became a nurse and I'm happy with what I have. You may not know it now but you have a far bigger advantage than I ever did."

Selina stared hard at the floor, the confused fragments of thoughts coming together piece by piece.

"So....do you mean...if I ever want to have nice things, like Mrs. Wayne did....then I have to marry someone to get them?"

Ally let her unspoken answer hang in the air and Selina took that to mean a yes. She suddenly felt old and weak. Still clutching the lipstick in her hand she unravelled herself from Ally's arms and trudged to her feet.

"I'm sorry, Selina," Ally called after her as with heavy, slow footing she left the nursery. Lost in thought, Selina found herself in the doorway of the white room and Jack wasn't in his bed. Miserably, she sat down at the foot of the empty bed, distantly wondering where he was, no longer afraid that the leather straps hung loose at the sides of the bed. She rested her head on the sheets, breathing deeply, taking in the smell of clean linen that she had become used to. She had hoped that by reading to him it would take her mind off what Ally had just said. She loved Ally but didn't the woman realise that she had just dashed all of Selina's dreams in one grim sentence?

People like us don't get those kind of opportunities. People like who? Was she really the same as Ally? She rested her chin on her folded arms, too late noticing the trail of bloodied bandages that were strewn over the floor. She hadn't noticed them when she had first come in, too lost in her own thoughts. Her blood turned icy cold.

There was a noise behind her and Selina was out of the chair in a second. She had been stupid. She had forgotten the danger that had been in this room all this time. She whirled about and stopped herself from crying out. Jack was leaning against the window pane, propping himself up with one arm. He was much taller than she had expected and she was one of the tallest children in Humberside. He was lanky, his movements lazy and slow as he walked towards her, past her and then hopped deftly up onto the bed, crossing his long legs. But Selina's eyes were pinned to his face, which were completely without bandages. His skin was pale from lack of sun exposure, the puffy scarring still a little red and inflamed as the stitching crisscrossed up to his ears. His eyes, chocolate brown and intense were fixed on her own surprised face.

"What have you done....?" her voice trailed into the space between them. She wished he would stop staring at her like that; it was making her feel hot. His blonde hair was sweaty and stuck up at the back, making him look all the more crazy and dangerous. He darted his tongue along his row of top teeth, a habit that Selina had become used to seeing.

"I was sick of looking at you through two holes," he cocked his head to one side. Selina noticed that the stitching appeared ready to be removed. He was healed, but the scarring still made his speech a little hard to understand. "So...here I am."

Here he _was_. Selina felt that familiar pull in her tummy, those horrible butterflies. The longer she looked at him, the less scared she felt. It was the same boy who she'd been reading to for a month, after all. The same boy, who had always been able to free himself from his restraints, a fact that she had hidden from the nurses. So nothing had really changed. Except now she was looking at his real face.

"Hey there, match girl," he smiled, a movement that didn't quite reach his cold eyes.

"Hey," she replied, her hand tightening around the lipstick case. "Were you listening again?"

She had a horrible feeling that he had. He leaned back against the pillow, folding his arms across his chest.

"You're not the only one who is good at listening at doors," he licked his lips again. "Your Nurse was wrong by the way. Really, wrong."

Selina suddenly found herself moving away. She had the feeling that she should leave.

"About what?" she asked, and then hated herself for doing so. Her feet were like lead, not working the way they should. She couldn't tear her gaze away from his face, his strange face, horrible and beautiful at the same time.

In what seemed like a seconds, he hopped off the bed. Selina uttered a cry and stepped back, but he advanced upon her, backing her up against the wall. Hadn't she been here before? Locking her gaze with his, he held her in place as she tried to twist away, his arm pinning her shoulder to the wall.

"You shouldn't be scared, Selina," he whispered. "At least not of me."

"What do you mean?" she stammered.

He rolled his eyes at her and let out a muffled laugh. He took her hand in his, the hand that held Mrs. Wayne's lipstick. With a pinch he prised it out of her hand, making her cry in pain.

"Give it back!" she said through gritted teeth. He smiled; amazed that she still couldn't understand what he was trying to point out to her.

"You can have it Selina," he told her, holding the shiny case before her eyes. "You can have anything you want, that's what you don't understand."

"Give it back, its _mine_!" she wailed, frustrated tears building in her eyes.

"I said take it," he said. "You have to _take _the things you want."

Like a light had been shone in her eyes, she blinked and then realised what he was saying. She brought up her knee and then kicked him swiftly in the shin, earning a yelp of pain from him. She side stepped him as he fell, half laughing as the lipstick went clattering to the floor.

"There you are!" he laughed rubbing his leg, before hobbling back to the bed. He hopped back up, watching, amused as she dipped her back, scooping up her prize, giving him a sarcastic smile before shoving it in her pocket.

"You're a pig!" she shot at him and he giggled.

"But I was right, wasn't I?" he goaded her and she folded her arms, now tired of this game. Seeing him laughing at her, playing with her was too much. It was like she was a little mouse that he enjoyed toying with. Frustration built inside her and she knew that she was about to break.

"About _what?_" she cried.

"About what you're nurse said!" he cried back, suddenly appearing annoyed that she still didn't see his point. "That you _can _have what you want. That you're not stuck here, waiting for some man to marry you and take you off to his mansion!"

Selina's eyes filled with tears. He really was good at listening. Her pain showed on her face and she fell to the floor, bowing her blonde head. Why did she always end up crying in front of him? She didn't notice him sit down cross-legged before her, until he was there. He reached up and pinched a strand of her hair between his fingers, giving it a tug, winding it around his finger tip. Meeting his gaze bravely, she sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"She was wrong about you," he repeated. "Wrong about you. Wrong about me. We don't have to accept the way things are just because we're told we should. There is more than this Selina, for people like _us_."

Selina let him wind his fingers through her hair, once again feeling lost and helpless. He made her feel lost and helpless. She also couldn't deny that he was dangerous but something about him made her want to stay put. Something about him forced her to listen. She had a feeling that he was about to become the closest thing she would ever have, to a friend.


	9. Nine

**Hi there. Wow, thank you all so much to those who have added me to their favs and alerts in the past few days! This one, again is a bit of a long one, as I cant seem to stop myself. It took me a while to write this one and I hope you enjoy! As always, please review or pm me with any suggestions!**

**I own none of the DC Comic Characters.**

**Nine**

Jack had been brought into Humberside during the night. He had been locked in the white room for just over a month. He had been a mystery, a strange, bandaged child who literally chilled the air with his haunting laughter, floating down from the second floor. Now he was sitting at the breakfast table, among the other children as if he had always done so. Selina couldn't really blame the other, more timid residents for watching him warily out of the corner of their eyes. She couldn't blame them for shifting uncomfortably in their seats whenever he entered the day room, a mixture of awe and uncertainty on their faces. Even the nurses seemed edgy when he was nearby, careful never to completely turn their backs to him.

Only Selina appeared to be unafraid of him. She supposed that was because she had been forced to spend so much time alone with him, locked away reading to him for hours. She had lost count of the days. She couldn't remember how long exactly Jack had been here, but for some reason, she felt like he'd always been there. He was strange. He didn't really speak to anyone other than Selina or sometimes, Jonah. When he sat with them at dinner, the nurses didn't fuss over him, help him cut his dinner into smaller pieces or even ask if he needed anything. It didn't take Selina long to realise that they were nervous around him. He didn't communicate what he wanted, he just took what he liked, and nobody seemed in a hurry to stop him. Selina also noticed that she was the only one around that cared if Jack bathed, or even if he had clean clothes. The nurses, particularly Rene had become so used to Selina's help around the house, that they didn't comment when one of them found her sorting through piles of old laundry, that had belonged to previous residents, trying to find something that would fit him.

Jack was fond of his own space, often huddling himself up in a corner with a book or magazine, clearing a room as soon as he entered. Tony was particularly annoyed that Jack had claimed the little patch of yard over the wall, as his own. Like Selina, Jack didn't bathe with the other children. Jonah realised quite soon after his first appearance that it wouldn't be appropriate. Jack was a head taller than Selina, his shoulders broadening ever so slightly, making him appear at least two years older than his real eleven years.

Tony was most put out that there was a boy in the house who was taller, stronger and older than himself. The Italian boy had grown so used to being the oldest that he made it obvious how much he despised Jack whenever he was in earshot.

It was a Tuesday and that meant ironing day for Selina. After helping Ally in the nursery, she hauled herself away in the back laundry cupboard, sweat pouring off of her as she fought her way through a pile of clothes that had been left far too long. October was nearing its end and the days were growing shorter, the sun making surprise appearances ever so often. The wind howled at night and in the morning it was cold, but Selina didn't complain. The children had limited time outside and these days, Selina felt that she was more a part of the staff than a resident. She wondered how much longer Rene was going to keep up her punishment. It seemed every day, without being prompted, Selina trawled through her list of chores, missing time with Suzie and Tony. Some days she didn't stop until she was flat on her back in bed that evening, and it could be that a whole day would pass where she wouldn't even see another soul, especially if she was cleaning the kitchen.

Selina raked a hand through her blonde, matted up hair and took another shirt from the pile, after carefully folding the last one. She opened the window, heaving the heavy frame upwards and breathed in the cool, fresh air. The breeze tickled her face and she sat there for a moment, until the sound of voices below caught her attention. She leaned a way out of the window and saw two familiar heads, sitting directly below. It was Tony and Suzie. They were sitting close together, both cross legged, playing cards. It made Selina wince to see them. She had forgotten that she used to be part of them, sharing their jokes, listening to their stories and playing endless games of cards. Now all she did was clear up after them, wiping up their mess and washing their dirty clothes.

"Ugly looking kid!" Tony said and Selina leaned out further. "Maybe if I looked like that I could do whatever the hell I wanted too?"

His tone, bitter and angry made Selina frown. Then she realised he was talking about Jack.

"How do you think he got those horrible scars?" Suzie whispered back to Tony.

"I don't know. Maybe he should join the freak show at the circus?"

"All he does is stare into space," Suzie commented. "I swear the only time he looks _alive _is if Selina is around...not that she's around much these days!"

Selina bit her lower lip, her heart sinking. _I want to be_, she wished she could tell them.

"Hey I wonder if Rene will let Selina have the day off for her birthday....poor Selina probably doesn't even remember that its tomorrow!"

Selina backed away from the window. It was her birthday tomorrow! It was hard to believe that another whole year had groaned by, uneventful and dull. Another whole year and now she was to be nine years old. But why did she feel so much older?

She slowly pulled the window shut, having consumed all the fresh air she could take and not really wanting to listen to their conversation any longer. She hated that they called Jack a freak, just because of his scars. To Selina it was cruel and unfeeling. It was also personal. Would Tony say the same to her if he ever got a glimpse of her own mangled, ruined body? Besides, Selina didn't think Jack's scars were half as bad as all that. When you looked at him for a long time, you hardly noticed that they were there at all.

As if on cue, the laundry room door creaked on its hinges and Selina swung around, pushing back her damp hair. She smiled guiltily at the taller boy framed in the doorway, desperately wishing she hadn't heard the conversation going on below. She cast a glance over her shoulder and to her relief watched as Suzie and Tony began walking up to the lawn. She noticed briefly that they were holding hands and something in her heart pinched, but she ignored it.

"Hey Jack," she smiled at him. He wasn't smiling back, not that he ever did. Instead he was looking at her dishevelled hair and she wiped her brow self consciously. She continued to iron the shirt she had started on before overhearing the conversation below.

She waited for him to speak, feeling his gaze on her. He watched in fascination as she ran the metal appliance over the shirt, steam rising in her face and leaving the material pressed and crisp. Jack reached out his hand and she slapped it away without thinking.

"It's hot!" she yelped as he stared at her, annoyed that she had stopped him. "You could burn yourself!"

"Why are you doing that anyway?" he folded his arms, defensively. Selina eyed him warily, noticing his face was a little red from being told off. She shrugged.

"It's my job," she said simply and he snorted rudely.

"You don't have a job," he scoffed. "You're a kid. And I haven't seen you being paid!"

Selina rolled her eyes at him. "Well, remember what happened upstairs a while ago? _We _had a fight and _you_ tore out your stitches. So this is my punishment!"

That seemed to shut him up. She looked up and he was fiddling with something in his hands. It was a plastic, wide toothed comb. He set it down on the ironing board beside her.

"What's this for?" she asked and he licked his lips anxiously.

"Nurse Rene said _you _had to do it," he cast his eyes downwards. He scratched his head and for the first time Selina noticed his matted, blonde curls that she had become used to seeing sticking up at unusual angles. Then she widened her eyes.

"They want me to _comb_ out your hair?" she cried in desperation. "Can't you do it yourself?"

He scratched his head again and looked away, clearly embarrassed. "It hurts me to do it."

Exhaling, Selina flicked the switch on the iron, upturning it on the board to let it cool off.

"Fine," she crossed the room and pulled out a chair. She dragged it to the window and then motioned for him to sit in it. Folding his arms across his chest, Jack fell in the seat, letting his back slide down so that his long legs extended out in front of him.

"You'll have to sit up properly!" Selina snapped, remembering how long it had taken Ally to comb out her hair before the funeral. "And it might hurt still."

He shrugged at her warning. "Whatever."

"_Whatever!_" she mimicked his dulcet tones and then stifled a giggle. It had just occurred to her how funny this was. She had spent the best part of a month being terrified of this boy and now she was combing out his dirty, tangled hair.

"Ugh, Jack!" she gritted her teeth, tugging the comb through tufts of hair, reaching lumps where it was so matted, she had to grab it by the roots and comb at it gently. "You really should wash your hair more!"

"You know how to hurt my feelings," he shot back at her, his voice laced with sarcasm. If it hurt him, he didn't make a sound, but then Selina supposed he had been through more pain than a hair comb. It wasn't so long ago that he had had his face sewn back together. She didn't stop until his scalp was red raw and his curls were fluffy and smooth. She patted his head.

"I think you're done," she told him and he hopped out of the chair. "Unless you'd like a cut and blow dry while you're here?"

To her utter amazement, the corners of his mouth lifted in a lazy half smile and something inside her cracked. She looked at his long fingers as she handed him back the comb, wondering how it would feel to entwine her own with them. She felt that pinch again in her chest and saw Tony and Suzie walking off hand in hand, a furious jealousy spreading through her.

"You're funny sometimes," he commented, shoving the comb in his pocket. She pulled a face at that and turned back to her pile of ironing. Funny! Didn't he mean, pretty? Sweet? A nice person for spending time combing through his horrible hair without complaining?

"Thanks, I guess," she mumbled, turning away from him. Unlike the others at Humberside, she was unafraid to turn her back on him. Turning away was a relief. It meant she didn't have to feel those oppressive eyes on her face any longer.

"Come downstairs with me," he said suddenly and she shot him a suspicious look.

"Jack, I have chores to do...."

"Come _downstairs_, match girl!" he reached for her wrist and captured it with his larger hand. Selina could feel the warmth of his hand burning through her shirt sleeve as he pulled her behind him, roughly. She trotted down the stairs after him, her face puzzled as they headed to the back office.

Jack didn't knock. He never knocked for anything. He just....barged. Selina had become used to his ways, but the others hadn't. All three nurses were having a meeting and jumped as they entered the room. Selina could smell coffee and saw that they were all sipping from steaming mugs. She felt a little hurt. They were all drinking coffee while she was ironing their clothes!

Rene stood up and smoothed the wrinkles in her apron. She looked visibly confused and a little annoyed at the sudden interruption. Selina wanted to wriggle out of Jack's grip but his hand was like steel on her wrist. She noticed Ally looking at them and Selina immediately blushed.

"Jack...Selina," Rene folded her arms. "We _were_ having a staff meeting. Is there a problem?"

Selina opened her mouth to speak but Jack whipped his head around and shot her a warning glare, making her press her lips together firmly.

"Actually....yes," Jack cocked his head. Selina had become used to his lazy way of speaking. His voice, which still struck her a strange mix of boy and man, had a bored, quizzical tone. He always spoke as though he was running the sentence through his head first. It was careful and deliberate, choosing his words. Jack didn't speak often but what he actually said was enough.

Ally threw Selina a puzzled look and Selina hoped that she could tell by her eyes that his wasn't anything to do with her.

"There's a problem with the amount of _your_ work that Selina is doing," Jack stated and waited for Rene's enraged expression, which quickly followed. Ally made a noise like she was clearing her throat and Hayley, looked away, clearly embarrassed.

"I beg your pardon?" Rene hissed through clenched teeth. A red streak had appeared across her nose and cheeks. Selina groaned inwardly. This was going to earn her another month for sure!

"I said," Jack kept his tone light. "There is a problem with the amount of your work, _Selina _is doing."

Rene balked. "I can hear you perfectly well Jack!" she snapped crossly. "Who exactly has the problem? Selina?"

_No! _Selina genuinely wanted to yell, but as if he anticipated her response, the pressure on her wrist increased, making her wince.

"I just wonder..." Jack said slowly. "I wonder if the child authorities happened to come here....if they would be happy with the amount of grunt work _you _have Selina doing?"

Rene opened her mouth and then snapped it shut. The only sound in the office was the sharp intakes of breath as he spoke. Jack cocked his head to the other side, his tongue darting to touch his scarred mouth.

At last Rene spoke, her voice tight. "Jack, there is a reason for Selina's chores. If you remember rightly _you_ were the victim of her cruel prank? She is the reason that we had to perform emergency surgery on you that night. This is her punishment."

Jack was silent for a moment, regarding his thoughts carefully. "Well I forgive her. Now what?"

Ally opened her mouth in surprise and Hayley stifled a laugh. Rene, however was crimson. She looked completely thrown that one of her charges would dare question one of her rules.

"Jack," her voice was controlled. "It's very gallant of you to champion Selina like this....especially after what she did to you. I'd also like to add that your facial scarring might not have been _half _as bad if she had just left you alone that night. Rules are rules, boy and she needs to be punished for what she did. And the punishment will go on for as long as I see fit."

They locked eyes and Selina wanted to dissolve into the ground. Her thoughts had often dwelled on the fact that the reason Jack's scarring was so horrific was because_ she_ had hurt him that night. Sometimes, at night she had lay in bed and thought about it, her heart hurting from the guilt. Hearing it out loud was worse. She wanted to die. Her eyes filled with tears.

_I didn't ask for him to do this! _She wanted to tell them. Jack's grip loosened on her arm and he pushed past her, bumping her shoulder with his. He threw Rene a glare over his shoulder.

"I think you'll change your mind," he told her, casting Selina an icy glance before trudging out of the room. Selina whirled around to face them, mortified that he had forced her in here and now he had left her behind! She opened her mouth to speak, to protest her innocence but Rene marched her out of the door.

"_Out of my sight Selina_!" she barked, her fingers pinching into the younger girl's upper arm. "No television hour for you for a month. I think there's an oven that needs cleaning, get on with it!"

The door slammed shut and Selina felt hot, embarrassed tears dribble out of her eyes. What had just happened? She hadn't asked for any of this! Before her emotions, weak and fragile that they were could grab hold; she bolted for the kitchen, hoping that vigorous cleaning would knock it out of her. Selina swore that if she saw Jack now, she would punch him.

Later that afternoon, Ally found Selina on her hands and knees, her rear end sticking out of the industrial oven in the kitchen. Ally knelt down, tapping her lightly on the shoulder and earning a gasp from her. Selina removed her head from the oven, her face black and sticky.

Ally smiled sadly. "That really was sweet of Jack, you know," she said. "He must think a lot of you to face off Rene like that!"

Selina pulled a disgusted face. "I didn't ask him to!"

"Maybe he wanted to do something nice for you?" Ally pressed. "Seeing as how you've been so patient with him? You've been a friend to him."

Selina slid out of the oven and down beside Ally. Her hands were red raw from using the scouring pad. She was covered in sticky, black grim. "He isn't my friend," she denied but Ally smiled knowingly.

"Well you could have fooled me," she mused. "Rene is still seething! I don't think anyone has ever stood up to her before. Maybe Jack is right....you really shouldn't be doing these sorts of jobs."

Selina shook her head fiercely, willing down a fresh batch of tears. "No. I deserve this! Jack's face is all ruined because of what I did to him."

Ally wound her arm around Selina's shoulders. "Selina, he was hurt before he came here. You didn't do that to him. What happened in the white room that night...was a mistake and nobody believes you meant to hurt him!"

Selina pulled out of her grip, hating the cold sympathy. If Ally really cared she would have fought Selina's corner by now. Instead she had been happy to go along with whatever new chore Rene had thought up. Selina almost preferred Jack's steel grip on her wrist than Ally's warm arm around her. At least that was something real.

Taking the hint, Ally climbed to her feet, her older body groaning from being sat on a floor.

"Ok, I'll leave you be," she said, straightening her apron. "I forget that you are just eight sometimes. You seem so much older."

"I'm nine," Selina reminded her, heat coursing in her cheeks and she saw Ally blush. "I'm going to be nine tomorrow. It's my birthday."

"Of course it is!" Ally smiled. "It's a good job you remembered. Maybe Rene will let you off tomorrow after all?"

Selina shrugged. "I won't count my chickens."

Selina wished she would just go away, and take her fake sympathy with her. Then she regretted being so mean. She really did love Ally. She just didn't understand adults sometimes. Ally was almost to the kitchen door, when she turned and cast Selina a sad smile over her shoulder.

"That was really nice of you by the way...doing Jack's hair for him," she called. "It sure needed it!"

Selina looked around at Ally, confusion in her eyes. "I was only doing what Rene asked me to do."

A brief, puzzled expression past over Ally's face and in that moment Selina knew she had been duped. Ally pursed her lips, and then pulled them into a half smile.

"Sure," she agreed. She exited the kitchen, leaving Selina gaping after her. Part of her was flooded with warmth. It was a strange, new feeling. The other part of her was shocked and confused. She felt very young and very unnerved all at once.

Later that evening, after being banished from the dayroom, she lay motionless and quiet up on her bed. She stared mournfully at the ceiling, watching as the paper mobiles twirled in the early evening breeze. Jack's actions, no matter how right he had felt they were, had rendered her utterly alone and friendless. She could hear them all talking and laughing downstairs and she wished for it to be summer again, where everything was simple and Mrs. Wayne was still in the world. When her days were spent being idol and useless and an hour lasted for a lifetime. She dug her nails into the palm of her hands, forcing down the tears that threatened again. She wished that she would stop being such a baby. After all she would be nine tomorrow. She thought of Tony and Suzie, always together now and the way they had held hands when they walked. Selina wondered if Jack thought about holding her hand and then she questioned why she cared that he might. Maybe he did like her after all?

"Selina?" a voice floated from the doorway and Selina bolted upright. Rene was standing in the doorway, her face pale, but blotchy, her arms folded tightly across her chest. Selina walked to the door, her heart lurching upwards, making her feel a little sick. Then it occurred to her that she hadn't seen Rene all afternoon, even though she had avoided everyone by hiding in the kitchen. She hadn't seen Rene at dinner and Rene never missed a meal.

Her arms still folded, Rene gazed down at the younger girl, something a little wrong with her eyes.

"I've been thinking over some things," Rene began and Selina noticed her voice and how different it sounded. It was weak. She sounded almost, defeated.

"I think you've learned from the incident in the white room and I feel now that you can continue as you normally would. Except...Ally really benefited from your help in the nursery. Would you consider carrying on helping her?"

Selina was wide eyed. What had changed in the past six hours? Was Rene asking her if she would like to carry on? Like she had an actual choice?

"Umm....OK," Selina replied in a daze. "I liked helping with the babies."

Rene smiled tightly. "Yes I know. Well....thanks Selina. Let's not speak anymore about what happened today."

"OK," Selina swallowed, still reeling from shock. "Thank you."

Rene turned, letting her arms drop to her sides. "Happy birthday for tomorrow Selina. I won't be here. I'm taking the day off."

Selina frowned. Rene never took time off; in fact Selina couldn't remember Rene ever leaving Humberside. Selina suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Rene's hand in hers. It was like ice in her hands.

"Nurse Rene!" she said quickly. "I didn't mean for that to happen today..."

Rene stared down at her and to Selina's horror; the older woman's bruised eyes suddenly went glassy. She pulled her hand out of Selina's.

"I know," she whispered before hurrying out of the room. Selina stood there in the doorway, her face baffled as the usually steel cold nurse, dashed for the stairs, her footsteps fading as she skipped down them. Selina closed the bedroom door and then leaned against it, her heart thudding slowly. Her legs suddenly too heavy to support her, she slid her back down the door until her bottom touched the carpet.

Selina didn't know what to be more alarmed about. It bothered her that Rene had suddenly done a complete one hundred and eighty degree turn in character. The older nurse had run Humberside since Selina had arrived and had never once gone back on a punishment. The one thing you could count on in Humberside was Rene's cold, hard exterior. Years of stress and responsibility had rendered her a little unfeeling and at times, very detached from the children she cared for.

What bothered Selina more than anything was what she had seen when she had taken Rene's hand in hers. Selina swallowed and closed her eyes, wishing that she hadn't seen it. But she had and she couldn't deny it. Rene had walked in with her arms tightly folded and now Selina knew why, for when she had grabbed her hand, she had seen five bright red marks on Rene's upper arm. And to Selina, they looked exactly like finger marks.


	10. Birthday

**Hi everyone. Firstly I want to apologise for the length of time it has taken me to update! This was really hard to write and had to do a couple of rewrites. I'm majorly busy at work at the moment with xmas and this may be the last time I update till the new year (i hope not) but we will have to see.**

**As always I want to thank nlech16, the freelancer seal, Alice's restaurant, Maria Cecilia Edvardson, Vayluh Arwen, ANguyen504, shes-the-proto-type and all the others who have reviewed and have added me to their alerts/favs. This is a bit more graphic than my last chapters as it is bringing in the second phase of the story. As always please let me know your thoughts and also if you feel that I should alter the rating on this. I don't think I need to, but let me know. Also this is long. Sorry! xx**

**I own none of the DC Comic Characters.**

**Birthday**

The realisation that she was free and had nothing to do, hit Selina the moment she opened her eyes the next morning. She awoke a child. Carefree and young, with nothing accept another endless day spreading out before her. The trouble was she woke with her head aching and her eyes sore, from the restless night's sleep she had endured. Every time she drifted away, she saw the marks on Rene's arm and remembered the strange, haunted look on her face.

I won't be here, the older nurse had told her. Maybe she didn't want to be here, Selina wondered, the reasons for that making her shiver. She remembered Jack's icy words in the office yesterday.

"_I think you'll change your mind." _It had played over and over in her head, waking her from dreams and interrupting her inner monologues. Had he really had something to do with it? Jack was tall and strong, it appeared. But could he overpower a woman, years older than him? Selina argued, no. But then, if Rene had been caught off guard, if she hadn't been expecting it....it was possible. Selina thought over the amount of times Jack had caught her off guard, slipping into the room unheard and unnoticed. Creeping up on her when she was preoccupied, catching him staring at her from a distance. Selina shivered as she began to wake, her blurry eyes adjusting to the growing light in the room. In the bed beside her Suzie stirred, her fire red curls tangled on the pillow. The room was filled with the hushed sounds of other sleeping children, waking slowly from their innocent dreams. Selina wished that her dreams were innocent. A part of her wished that Jack had never came to Humberside. The other part of her seemed to warm whenever she saw his strange, lopsided face. If he had something to do with this, whatever his methods, Selina knew that he had done it for her. And she couldn't hate him for that.

"Happy Birthday, Selina!" a small voice whispered and Selina turned in Suzie's direction. She was smiling at her sleepily and Selina did her best to return the gesture.

"Thanks," she replied.

Birthdays were usually small affairs at Humberside but they were never left unmarked or not celebrated. The nurses liked to get a cake made and sometimes you came downstairs to find streamers dangling from the ceiling lights. There wasn't much money and there were so many children, which meant many birthdays. So of course, it had to be kept small. The television usually stayed on for longer in the evening and the dinners seemed extra special. The one thing Selina did remember from her old life was birthdays. She remembered pink balloons. She remembered sugar coated strawberries and ice-cream. And she remembered her father, singing to her when she raced out to the kitchen.

It was a time of smiles, laughter where for one magical day, everything was perfect. As she grew, Selina clung to those fragments of memory. It seemed that every day it became harder and harder to picture those moments. She couldn't remember her own mother's face. She remembered that she was fair haired, blonde like herself and she remembered the smell that clung to her like skin, a soft, sweet honey smell. Selina knew that the day would come when she would wake up and those images would be gone forever.

"Selina! Did you hear a word I just said?" Suzie's crisp voice broke her out of her day dream. Selina blinked at her and smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry," she replied. "What were you saying?"

Suzie stifled a yawn, stretching her arms over her head. Around them, others were beginning to stir.

"I said, Tony and me were talking about what we could do today for your birthday. Did you know that the Gotham Street Festival started yesterday? We could sneak into town and have a look?"

Selina folded her arms under the bed sheet, thinking wistfully of how exciting it would be to have a trip into Gotham's old town.

"I don't think Rene will let me do that. I've only just been let off of my punishment remember?"

Suzie leaned her torso out of the bed towards the other girl. "But Rene isn't here! Didn't you know? She left last night."

Selina bit her lip. "But still..."

Suzie rolled her eyes. "But nothing! You're free and they owe you. And it's your _birthday_."

Selina doubted that Ally would see her point of view. When they went downstairs, it was like Selina had gone back in time. She sat next to her friends, eating with them and enjoying their jokes. She didn't need to run around after the younger ones, mopping up the spillages or wiping their gooey faces after they'd eaten. The freedom was almost exhilarating and she wished that Jack was here to see her enjoying it. He hadn't come down so far and didn't appear all morning, no matter how her heart jumped into her throat every time the dining room door opened. She did notice that Ally and Hayley appeared red faced and flustered, obviously suffering without the presence of Rene there to guide them. Even Jonah seemed unusually edgy. Suzie snuck off after breakfast to pester Ally for a pass into town, but Selina still didn't believe it was actually going to happen.

She was out on the front porch, huddling her knees to her chest for warmth when she heard footsteps beside her. She glanced up between the strands of blonde hair that kept blowing in her eyes, meeting Suzie's disappointed eyes.

Selina shrugged as Tony appeared at her side, throwing himself down on the steps beside her. He was wrapped up in his blue and white parka, a scarf firmly wound around his neck. He was wearing the same grim, unpleasant expression.

"So I take it she said no?" Selina prompted when neither said anything.

Suzie shoved her hands in her pockets. "Actually she said yes."

Selina beamed. "That's great! Why do you both look so miserable?"

Tony chewed on his bottom lip, his eyes dark with something more than disappointment. "We aren't allowed to go alone. Apparently we're too young."

Selina screwed up her face, the notion almost laughable. Humberside wasn't exactly the most favourable area of Gotham to live in, but most of the children born and bred here were fairly streetwise. They knew to stick to the busier areas and not to go off wandering alone. Ally or Rene had always let them walk around the block before and a short trip into the old town was nothing, it was a ten minute bus ride. And at this time of day, Gotham would be full of people. Selina realised too late that they were going to have a chaperone.

"Oh great," she muttered. "So let me guess....Jonah is coming with us?"

"I wish." Tony said under his breath as another pair of larger feet, shuffled into Selina's eye line on the porch steps. Jack flopped down beside her, his face expressionless and still but his eyes full of that familiar laughter.

"Surprise," he smiled lazily. "Many happy returns."

////

Ally had pressed five dollars into Selina's palm when they had been gathering their coats and scarves. She had touched Selina's blonde hair gently, her voice quiet and almost sad as she wished her a happy birthday. Selina had gazed up at the older woman and wanted to say sorry. She felt guilty that Rene had left so abruptly, leaving Ally with the stress of running the home. The ride into town was awkward. Jack had trudged along behind them as they walked to the bus stop, only a few yards from the children's home driveway. With his hands shoved firmly in his pockets, he cast wary sideway glances at Selina as they walked. On the bus, Selina was flustered and red faced when there was no room to sit by herself and seeing as Tony and Suzie had 'coupled' she was forced to squeeze in next to her strange friend.

She could feel his gaze on her face, as she deliberately looked in any other direction but him. She bit on her lower lip, dozens of thoughts, hundreds of things she wanted to say to him, threatening to bubble to the surface. She wanted to quiz him about Rene. A few seats ahead of them, she could see Tony and Suzie sitting with their heads almost touching, obviously whispering. Selina felt her heart sink, after she strained her ears enough to hear the words 'freak' and 'psycho' muttered in the same sentence. She could feel the heat coursing under her skin and desperately hoped that Jack couldn't hear them too.

When finally the bus pulled into their stop, she exhaled, jumping out of the seat. Tony was making his dislike of Jack perfectly clear and you could have sliced the air with a knife, tension between them was so thick. Tony shot him the occasional black stare, while Suzie, wide eyed and pale, just darted her eyes between the pair. She clutched at Tony's hand. Selina quickly realised that they just were not used to him, like she was. They were afraid of him.

The bus had pulled into a stop that was in the middle of Gotham's east end or the 'old town' as it was otherwise known. It was a busy shopping district, usually bustling with people. The buildings were old, worn and oppressive, the architecture looming and gothic, not unlike the impressive cathedral where the Wayne's had been buried. It was a mix of grey stone archways and cobbled pavements. It was a much nicer area than the dreaded Gotham narrows where Humberside was located, but still a million miles away from the sparkling 'new' town, with its monorail and metropolitan, minimalist designs.

"This isn't exactly what we had planned for you today," Suzie's tone was disappointed as they climbed off the bus. Tony had stalked off ahead, leaving Jack to stare after him, his half smile amused. Suzie pulled Selina closer, taking her wrist.

"We were hoping it was just going to be the three of us," she explained, casting Jack a glance over her shoulder.

Selina tried to smile. "It's Ok. It's nice that we are out of the house!"

Suzie suddenly looked sheepish, her face becoming blotchy. "I don't think Tony wants to be around him."

"Really? You _think_?" Selina laughed quietly, but Suzie looked serious.

"Do you mind if we go off on our own? I think it'll spoil things if we force them together all day."

Selina suddenly felt that pinch in her chest. It was her birthday and Suzie was suggesting dumping her so that she could be by herself with Tony. What was Tony's problem anyway? It wasn't as if Jack had even said anything to him!

Selina sighed. "Can't you give him a chance?" she leaned closer to her friend, keeping her voice low. "I mean he isn't that bad....once you get to know him. I know he's a little different."

Suzie screwed up her face at the suggestion. "Tony won't do that."

Now Selina felt heat under her skin for a different reason. She was becoming angry, frustration building inside her.

"Well, we can't let Tony be unhappy, can we? It's only my _birthday_ after all!" she snapped and regretted her words. Suzie's eyes welled up, but Selina folded her arms and looked away.

"You better go. He's waiting for you," she muttered bitterly. She heard Suzie sniff as she stalked away and for the first time ever, she hardened herself to it.

Why couldn't they give him a chance? Selina turned around and saw him leaning against the bus stop pole, his arms folded across his chest. His hair was much lighter in the sunshine and she hadn't noticed before, how pale his skin was. But then he had been bandaged up for a long time. She could see the puffy lacerations that curled up at either side of his mouth, the shadow from his brow making his eyes appear hollow and unhealthy. Selina trudged towards him and he met her gaze.

"Looks like it's just you and me," she shrugged and he mirrored her gesture.

"They don't want to be around me," it wasn't a question. He still managed to sound, thoughtful, careful as he spoke, like he was selecting his words. Selina swallowed and motioned for him to follow her.

"They don't know you," she replied. He lifted his eyes to hers.

"Neither do you," he muttered and Selina exhaled in frustration.

She bounded towards him, grabbed his shirt sleeve and roughly pulled him into the alley way behind the bus station. She was surprised at herself and also surprised that he had given in so willingly. When they were off the street, she turned to him.

"I want to talk to you about what you said to Rene yesterday," she said and he rolled his eyes.

"And what would you like to know?" he mocked her. Selina flushed, as he took a step nearer. She momentarily lost her cool, her foot slipping over a cobble and she leaned against the wall for support. She let out a breath.

"You did something to her....didn't you?" she whispered, shock coursing through her, unable to believe she had said it out loud. When he didn't reply, just licked his lips nervously she pressed further.

"Look, I won't be mad....and I won't say anything! I know why you did it."

He lifted his eyebrows, amused. "Do you?"

Selina blinked. "Well...." the words caught in her throat. Although she couldn't bear to say the words 'I think you did it for me' out loud, there was nothing else she could think of to say. Something about the way he was looking at her was making her come undone at the seams. She realised that she couldn't face the humiliation of saying it and then him laughing at her.

"Yes," she answered simply. "But no matter what your reasons...you shouldn't have done it."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Fine. I won't try and help you ever again."

"It's not that Jack! You just can't go around...threatening people, because you think they're wrong."

Just then he pushed her shoulder roughly against the wall and she winced in pain. He leaned his head nearer to her.

"No, I think you're wrong match girl," he hissed through his teeth. "Bad people hide behind sweet smiles. She made you think that you were being punished and you accepted it because you trusted her. She had to be exposed."

Selina shuffled out of his grasp and blinked up at him. "Ok. Look, let's just forget about it. It's my birthday after all."

Jack put his large hand on her shoulder, guiding her back out of the alley and into the bustling street. He walked slightly ahead, throwing his head back and winking at her.

"Well we better celebrate then hadn't we?" he half smiled at her. Selina walked up quickly beside him, not wanting to get lost among the hoards of bodies that were moving quickly among them. Selina wondered at how quickly Jack's mood could change from being malevolent to jubilant in mere moments. The sounds of the street festival greeted them as they walked closer towards it and Selina wondered dismally, if Tony and Suzie were already there.

Selina had never been to the festival before. It came yearly to Gotham Old Town and was nearly always talked about for weeks afterwards. As they approached, Selina smelled a strange mix of candy and cooking meat, making her tummy growl in anticipation. The streets were lined with coloured tents and stalls, something different going on in each one. Some were just typical carnival games, like the wacky wire and duck shooting, others were exhibits, or stalls selling exotic perfumes and oils. The streets were packed and Selina had to squeeze in-between the heaving bodies, gasping as children much taller than her, bumped her and shoved her out of the way. She lost sight of Jack and for a brief moment panicked. Then she felt him grab her shirt sleeve.

He pulled her so hard against him that she bumped him. He leaned closer to her.

"Thought you were trying to lose me for a minute there, match girl," he joked and she threw him a sardonic stare.

"Lucky for me, you're always right behind me!" she shot back. His face broke into a grin and she blushed, smiling back up at him.

They seemed to lose a few hours just wandering among the hundreds of packed stalls. Selina bought some cotton candy and shared it with Jack. The sun on his face seemed to be doing him good. He looked healthier and less tired, even only after a couple of hours.

She was having fun. The afternoon had flown by, the bright autumn sun disappearing and the sky becoming an orangey pink. To her dismay, she had spent her whole five dollars. They had played the wacky wire three times and Jack had unsuccessfully tried to win her a goldfish. Selina was hungry and knew that more cotton candy wasn't going to cut it.

"I'm starving!" she complained. "And I wanted to see the trapeze show."

Jack ran his tongue along the inside of his mouth, his eyes glinting. "Why can't we do both?"

Selina sighed. "It's getting late...I don't have anything left. We probably ought to get home now anyway?"

Jack made a noise that sounded like a snort and pulled her along past the stalls. The streets were finally emptying, everyone tired and keen to get home before dark, which Selina knew that they ought to be doing. But the other part of her was curious as to what Jack was up to.

The Trapeze tent was at the end of the street before the road opened up onto one of the main roads into Gotham City centre. Beyond that the streets emptied into the dockland area, a poor, under privileged area of Gotham, famous for its knife crime and armed robberies. It was a stripy orange and yellow tent, only big enough to hold about forty people. Selina read the board as they approached and saw that the show was due to start any minute and it was two dollars each to get in.

She stopped and Jack halted. "What's wrong?" he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Jack....we really should get home. I don't have any money to get in anyway." There was an odd, sick feeling building in the pit of her stomach. Something was wrong and she felt the need to get as far away as possible.

Without waiting for her to stop him, Jack gripped her hand in his and looking warily around him ducked around the rear of the tent, pulling her roughly behind. Selina's heart thudded frantically as he lifted the tent flaps and wriggled under, his feet the last thing to disappear. He lifted the flap and stared at her angrily.

"Get in here!" he hissed and she gasped, the thrill of doing something bad and the sick fear building inside her urging her under. She crawled in and he pulled her into a crouched position beside him, the dirt gathering under her nails as they crawled along behind rows of seating. The tent was still filling with paying customers, unaware of the two trespassers sneaking their way behind them.

Finally he stopped.

"Here's good. Can you see?" he whispered, leaning so close that his hair touched her face.

"Yeah," she whimpered. "But Jack....we shouldn't do this!"

"How else were you planning on seeing the show?" he asked casually. "Now _wait _here!"

She seized his wrist. "You are not _leaving _me here!"

"Do you want to eat or not?" he asked again, as if he were asking what time it was. How could he be so casual about what they were doing? She watched in horror as he scrambled away, his large feet disappearing under the tent flap. Ten unbearable minutes later, he returned and she exhaled in relief. And her stomach growled in happiness at the sight of the two large hot dogs he was carrying. He shoved it roughly in her hand and didn't meet her gaze as he tore into it, hungrily.

"You stole them," she pressed her lips together thinly.

"You're a genius," he jibbed. "I thought you were hungry?"

Hunger took over and she dug into her food. She scooted herself into a cross legged position, as the show began. She sat mesmerised as the music started and the performers came out into the small, sandy arena. One after the other, they performed fantastic, daring sets, soaring through the air as though they weighed nothing. They balanced from the highest poles, falling jaw droppingly close to the ground, earning wild applause from the audience. Their costumes glittered in the dim light of the tent and Selina felt like she was up there with them, swinging with such skill and precision. One false move and they would come crashing to their deaths. Once or twice she darted her eyes at her strange companion, her face growing hot when they looked at one another. She tried to ignore the way he looked at her, as though he was prising her apart with his eyes and having a good thorough look in her head.

The show was winding to a close when Selina noticed the boy staring at them. She stiffened, darting her eyes away, as though he wouldn't see her that way. He was older than them, around sixteen or seventeen she guessed. He was black haired, his skin a dirty olive colour and by the state of his clothing she wondered if he worked for the travelling festival. He must have seen them crawl in and she wondered how long he had been staring at them. She elbowed Jack's shoulder.

"I know," he whispered in her ear. "I saw him a minute ago."

Panic exploded in Selina's chest. She felt sweaty and uncomfortable, her stomach muscles curling and contracting in fear.

"We should go!" her eyes filled up and Jack nodded.

"Just follow me, Ok?"

_Breathe, breathe_, she hissed to herself as she crawled on her hands and knees behind him. Fresh air filled her lungs as he hauled her to her feet, the tent flapping shut behind them. They were in the alley way and the sky had turned from orangey pink to red. The relief of being out of there washed over her, but it didn't last long. Jack gripped her fingers with his, tugging her along. To her dismay they were walking further into the alley and not in the direction of the street they had come from. The air was thick with the smell of salt, the docks becoming a reality as they walked quickly, Jack unrelenting with his pace. Her heart beat frantically against her chest wall.

"Where are we going?" her voice cracked with tension and Jack threw her a black look.

"Just don't look behind you...he's following us."

Selina choked and ignoring his warning, she tossed her head back to see the dark haired boy in pursuit. She saw now that he was much bigger than them, his shoulders broad and strong from years of labour. His strides, long and purposeful seemed to be gaining on them. His eyes locked with hers and what she saw in them frightened her. Swallowing she edged closer to Jack. She made the mistake of looking back again, what she saw causing a horrified shriek to come from her mouth. A knife glinted in the boy's hand as he pulled it from his coat pocket.

"Oh...Jack..." her breathing became panicked and shallow.

The seconds she took to open her mouth and scream were endless and seemed to play back to her in slow motion when she thought about it later. Those precious seconds were all it took for the larger boy to gain on them. Jack howled in pain as the boy seized a tuft of his blonde hair, his teeth gritted as he threw him back, his spindly body smashing against the wall with a sickening thud. Jack dropped like a limp rag to the ground, the breath literally knocked out of him and Selina watched in terror as he lay on the ground gasping and writhing. The boy sneered, his face dirty and ugly, drawing back his body, readying himself to kick, but Selina grabbed his thick, greasy hair in her hands, screaming for all she was worth. The boy, crying out, brought up his knee and thrust it into her stomach. Air whooshed out through her mouth and she fell back, cracking her skull against the hard, cold ground.

He stood above as she stared, half dazed up at him.

"You little rats," the boy sneered. "You think you can just take and steal from us whenever you choose? You think you're better than us?"

Selina wanted to say that no, she never thought that for a moment, but no words would come. It felt like all her insides had come apart, her breathing was erratic and fractured. In her star dazed state, she saw him turn and make towards Jack again. The boy grabbed Jack by the collar and punched him, the smacking sound of fist against flesh making Selina gag. Her legs were numb and she tried to sit up.

"_Jack!_" she screamed, the sound twisted and odd in the darkening alley way. Wouldn't someone hear them? Wouldn't someone help them? Suddenly she thought of Mrs Wayne. Was this how she felt the night she died? Cold, alone and frightened. Watching as her husband was shot only yards from her.

The boy, satisfied with the mess he had made of Jack's bloodied face turned his attention to her. Paralysed, her body unwilling to obey her mind, she was unable to fight back as he seized her shirt front and pulled her torso off the ground. Almost in slow motion, Selina saw his fist coming towards her, his own bloody knuckles slamming cruelly into her cheekbone, rendering her senseless from the pain that coursed through her. The sound it made was hollow and deep and her head cracked back against the ground. He repeated it again and Selina knew she was going to die.

But that would have been better than what was to come. Letting her fall back, lifeless and half crazed with pain, he straddled her waist, his cold, meaty hands sneaking up her shirt front. She felt him touching her, his stale breath in her face as dimly she became aware of his fingers prising their way up her vest.

She choked, her eyes darting wildly from side to side. His fingers pinched and squeezed her tender flesh, in an act that instinctively, she knew shouldn't be happening to her. This wasn't _supposed_ to happen to her now. She was too young.

His breathing deepened and she saw his eyes darken. "You take what you like and you think you never have to pay," he whispered too close to her ear and she gagged, thinking he might actually kiss her. "But you always have to pay a price for what you take."

He lifted his weight off her momentarily and numbly she saw he was fiddling with his belt. Wide eyed, she tried to roll but the pain in her head was too blinding.

_Move, you have to move_, a voice was screaming at her. Too late his weight pressed down on her again, his hands, becoming hot and clammy, moving along her legs. He roughly tore at her jean belt and suddenly she kicked into action. He leaned his hand against her windpipe, almost as if he was going to push right through to the ground and she struggled and writhed for breath. Cold air hit her legs and she realised her jeans were gone, feeling them slipping around her ankles. His hands were toying with the waistband of her underwear and his fingers went where no one had ever gone. She made a gurgling noise as scorching pain, a new type of pain ripped through her. She didn't think she had ever felt like this. Her body writhed beneath him, wishing that she would just die.

Suddenly he stopped; he lifted his head and roared, his eyes wild with agony of his own. She saw blood splatter like paint against the wall. Jack was riding his back, the knife in his hand. Selina watched in horror as Jack brought his arm back and plunged it as deeply as he could through the boy's thick garments. Jack's face was deadly, his eyes totally black and soulless. The boy threw him off easily, sending him rolling into a trash can and was on his feet, heavy and unsteady, heading through the alley back in the direction he had come.

Jack stared at her on the ground and Selina wriggled back into her pants, shame and horror coursing through her.

"_Get up_!" he hissed through, teeth tightly clenched. Jack turned on his heels and tore off down the alley after the boy.

Selina sat up, the fear of him leaving her alone giving her new strength. She tried to run, but her insides hurt. With gritted teeth and painful tears streaking her face, she half ran, half hobbled after Jack who was running like the wind. It felt like her chest was breaking in two, her lungs straining against her beating heart. Finally they were back among people, among the street performers and the music and it seemed like what had just happened in the alley way was a dream. Jack was standing in front of a large, dirty white caravan, the bloodied knife dangling from his fingertips.

He turned to look at Selina who had caught up and she saw that he had wiped the blood across his face, probably by accident but she had never felt more afraid of him or more thankful for him. If hadn't of been there...

"He went in there," Jack nodded to the caravan. "If he comes out I'll kill him."

"Jack..." Selina swayed on her feet then dropped to the floor. She heard him saying her name, over and over before she passed out, the pain too much for her to handle any longer.

////

When she woke up, to her relief and surprise, she was in the white room. The lights were so bright that she blinked until her eyes adjusted, as she slowly, slowly became aware of her surroundings.

"Jack...." she whispered. There was a noise like a chair scraping across the floor and someone was above her. She smelled the familiar perfume.

"Oh..._Selina_!" Ally wailed her hands warm on Selina's bruised face. "Oh my poor Selina....thank goodness you're awake."

Ally threw her head over her shoulder and looked at someone who had appeared in the door of the white room.

"Jonah...she's awake!" Ally was crying. "Jonah...I thought we'd lost her."

Jonah's haggard, lined face appeared over her. "Selina," he whispered his eyes watery. "Selina."

"Are you alright?" Ally whispered to the man, who as far as Selina ever remembered had never shown emotion.

"I'm Ok...._Jesus Ally_...."

"I know," she reached out for his hand and they held each other's while she lay there still trying put her splintered thoughts back into the jigsaw they had become.

"Rene is back, she's on her way up now," Jonah's tone was warning and in her daze Selina saw Ally's face pale.

"Oh god this is my fault!" Ally scolded herself. "I let them go out. I was so preoccupied with all the chores..."

"This isn't your fault," Jonah promised her, his voice unusually soft and gentle. Another set off footsteps entered the room and both of them fell silent. Selina saw Rene appear at the foot of the bed, her face twisting in revulsion as she took in her appearance. Selina wondered how bad she actually looked, to provoke a reaction like that.

She ran her tongue cautiously along her lip, which felt puffy and swollen; when she tasted blood she stopped. It hurt to breath. It hurt to move her eyes. Her face suddenly felt like it had grown another part, like she had been mashed in two.

"What the hell happened to her?" Rene's voice was like splinters under her skin.

Jonah and Ally looked frantically to one another.

"It's my fault," Ally choked. "I let them go out to the fair. Someone must have cornered them. Rene...we think....we think she's been assaulted...sexually."

Rene's eyes were cold. "Have you checked?"

Ally stared at her open mouthed. "Well, _no._ But her pants were torn and loose and....Jack said it was what happened. You should see him Rene, he's covered in blood. If he hadn't of been there...."

Rene snorted. "If he hadn't of been there, _this _probably wouldn't have happened."

Jonah and Ally exchanged glances across the bed. "He brought her home. He did what he could for her." Jonah's voice was protective and soft. "It looks like whoever did this got him pretty bad. His face is unrecognisable."

"Hmm. His face was bad enough to begin with. So....now what to do." The older nurse seemed to be talking more to herself than to them. Her face was white and strained, her eyes avoiding Selina's.

"We should _call _the police," Ally stated. "If there is someone who came to town with the fair then they should know about it!"

Rene laughed and the sound made Selina's bones shiver. "Call the police? Are you insane? They'll be in here asking all sorts of questions. They'll want to know all about him and his...face. Not to mention where you found him Jonah. No, _no._ It's too risky."

Ally's jaw dropped. "Rene...we _have _to call the police. She could have been _raped_!"

"We don't know _what _happened to her!" Rene snapped her voice tense and cruel. "We can't have the police poking around in here, don't you understand? Clean her up; treat her, _down there_, whatever needs doing. She's a child....she'll bounce back."

Jonah stood, the chair scraping loudly across the floor. "You can't do this, Rene."

Rene stared defiantly back at him, daring him to oppose her further. "I just did."

Selina felt hot tears stinging her cheeks, running into her mouth.

"Jack," she whimpered. "Where is he?"

Ally stared down at her, visibly shaken. "Uhh. He's fine sweetheart, I promise. Please try and rest. I have to take care of you now."

Selina closed her eyes. It was so easy to slip away. She felt like she was floating, but she suspected it was something to do with what Ally had injected her with. All the pain, momentarily was gone. When she slept she saw trapeze artists flying through the air and she saw with them, soaring, swinging, her blonde hair flying wildly behind her. She wasn't in that alley, cold on the ground, wishing for death to claim her.

Someone was shaking her in her dream and reluctantly she opened her eyes. Jonah was above her, too close, his face too near. She screeched and he automatically recoiled.

"Selina it's me! It's _me_!" he soothed. Her body stopped its trembling and she relaxed as he pulled her into a sitting position. The room was pitch black, and she leaned against him, his breathing in time with hers.

"Selina....you have to wake up!" Jonah tried to coax her awake. She blinked and willed the dizzy feeling to go away. She saw his nervous face in the half light of the window.

"Selina....its Jack."

Suddenly, she was awake. Just the sound of his name wrenched her from her daze. "Jack..."

"He's gone," Jonah was trying to get her to stand. "He's gone and I have to stop him before he does something stupid."

Selina let her legs hang limply over the side of the bed. "What do you mean...gone?"

Jonah wrapped his arm under her arms and half supported, half dragged her across the polished floor. Her legs hurt and wouldn't support her, she was like a broken doll in his arms.

"You have to tell me where he went Selina!" Jonah hissed in her ear. "We _have _to find him. Jesus Selina... you have to help me find him!"

**Let me know your thoughts. Happy Christmas Everyone!**

**xxxx**


	11. Children

**Oh my goodness my chapters are getting out of control! This took me a while to write so I apologise for the delay! Thanks to all those who've reviewed and added me to their alerts/favs.**

**Please let me know you're thoughts. In this chapter, you're getting a bit of a glimpse of what has been happening with the adults behind closed doors. I hope that makes sense!**

**Children**

Selina winced as her feet hurried along the cool tiles of the polished floor. They were in the darkened hallway below the other sleeping residents of Humberside and Jonah had guided her into a chair. He was roughly trying to shove thick socks on her numb feet. Without warning she began to shiver, her top teeth clattering with her bottom ones, the noise it made echoing in her head.

"I'm cold," she wrapped her arms around her own waist, her insides hurting. "I feel so sleepy."

Jonah eyed her warily and then hurried to the day room, returning moments later with a blanket draped across his arm.

"It's probably better that you feel sleepy. Are you in pain?" he tossed the blanket around her slim shoulders and then rubbed her arms, the friction soothing, making her want to close her eyes. She tried to answer that no, she felt no pain but her mouth wouldn't open. Moments later Jonah was pinching her cheeks, her head on his shoulder as she'd fallen forward in the chair.

"Selina, I know you want to sleep....Ally gave you a pretty strong sedative. But I need you to try and fight it ok?" his voice was close to her ear and she willed her eyes back open. She kept slipping away, her head lulling against his chest as he scooped her up. All at once she felt an icy chill run across her body, she felt the air snapping around her and she opened up her eyes. The car was running, steam coming in great bursts from the warm engine where the heat met the freezing cold air. Jonah bundled her into the front seat of his truck, clicking the safety belt into place and her head slipped back on the leather head rest.

"Selina!" his voice was urgent and she prised her eyes open. "Jack is missing. Do you have any idea where he could have gone?"

_Jack. _

Jack. The sound of his name forced her from her peaceful state. Suddenly she wasn't surrounded in the warmth of the truck anymore, she was flat on her back in an alley way. And there was terrible pain. There was a startling, ripping sensation coursing through her and she was going to die. Then she saw his face above her, coming to her rescue. Selina turned her head and looked at Jonah who had now come around to the driver's side.

"He only did it for me," her words were slow, clumsy and Jonah sighed.

"The blood on Jack's face...on his clothes, I know some of it was his, but there was so much," the older man's voice trailed into the void between them. How could she make him understand what had happened? How could she put into words what had happened to her, when she didn't understand herself? She knew that what had happened was something that was meant for adults, it came with affection and love, and trust. On some level, Jack knew it too. She had seen it in his black eyes when he had forced the knife into the boy's body. They had been shining with rage and shock.

"He did it for me," she felt her eyes welling up.

Jonah suddenly looked older than ever, his lined face harder and more sallow than normal. Selina noticed that he looked so tired and grey.

"We have to find Jack before someone else does," he said simply. "It's important, do you understand?"

Why? He could almost read the question in her eyes and he looked away, as though it would pain him to answer. Selina had never understood Jonah's fierce protectiveness of Jack, right from the outset he had been hidden and cared for, almost guarded by the older man.

"Selina..."he began, swallowing. "There are some things in this world that happen to people and you just can't put it into words. What happened to Jack should never have happened to an eleven year old boy. I found him and took him away from a bad place, but those people that I took him from will want him back. You see....he knows things about them, things that they won't want anyone else to know."

The reality of what he was trying to tell her, came slowly, like a light being flicked on in a dark room.

"They would kill him," she said simply, understanding and Jonah nodded, relieved he didn't have to spell it out himself.

"So we have to find him. Now think...please try. Where would he have gone?"

The fog in her head was returning and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to clear her vision. It suddenly dawned on her that she could feel her legs, or rather a dull ache that was spreading from the small of her back. Her body was waking up and with it, came pain.

"Uhh. The caravans..." she remembered. "Behind the tents there were a line of old caravans. The boy went into one of them. Jack said he would kill him if he came out."

Jonah smiled sadly at her and put the truck into gear. It rolled quietly over the gravel and was almost out of the driveway when Jonah threw his head over his shoulder.

"Dam it," he muttered turning off the engine. Ally appeared in the driver's side window, her hair in a scruffy bun and her face pink from sleep. Jonah rolled down the window and Ally stared in at the pair of them, her eyes widening at Selina's half dazed state.

"What the _hell_ are you doing Jonah?" she hissed, her breath fogging on the icy air. "She is in no state to travel!"

"Jack is missing and you know what that means!" he was trying to communicate with the older woman with his eyes, Selina could tell. It was an adult trick, she had learned. When adults didn't want you to understand their conversations they often spoke with their eyes. Ally's however were defiant.

"I don't care Jonah," she protested. "That girl was seriously injured today. She needs rest not a road trip!"

"Ally, if they find Jack...you _know _what will happen," he argued and she sighed loudly.

"Oh, Jonah," she wailed leaning her hand against the truck door. "Maybe it's better this way? Maybe you should just let him go?"

Jonah banged his fist against the steering wheel. "Ally...it will lead back to _us_. What I did...."

Ally's face twisted with anger. "You _should_ have left him," she cried, her eyes filling with angry tears. "You should have never brought him here...now its put us all in danger....Rene was _right _all the time!"

Jonah started up the engine, his face pleaded with the young nurse. "I know what I've done, Ally. But don't say that I should have left him there. You know I could never have done that and neither could you."

After a long pause, Ally stepped away from the truck, her shoulders trembling from cold. She turned to leave but then dashed back, her hand reaching through the window to touch his face. After a moment, he caught her hand in his and pressed it to his lips. They looked at one another for a long time and Selina knew that their gaze said more than words ever could. She felt her chest pinch and tighten, a lump forming in her throat.

"Just get him back," Ally said. "And bring Selina home quickly. The sedative will start to wear off soon."

He watched her hurry up the steps and disappear inside the house. The truck moved silently out of the driveway and before long they were heading for the road to Gotham old town. The streets were empty, apart from the odd drunk staggering home. Selina checked the clock on the dashboard and saw that it was past two in the morning. Her body, like Ally had warned, was beginning to come back to life and she missed the groggy, sleepy feeling that had encased her like a blanket. She could feel her legs. She could feel her back. And she could feel the tingling sensation beginning in her face. It was just a slight pricking, but she knew instinctively that it was going to get worse. The more the truck bumped and jolted over the uneven roads, the more she felt.

"Are you alright?" Jonah asked from the driver's seat.

"It hurts now," she pressed her lips together. She couldn't explain how she felt. It was like someone had pulled off all her limbs and then tacked them back on with tape. She felt loose, unhinged somehow, like she couldn't gain control of her own body.

"I know," he tried his best to sound soothing. "We're nearly there, hold on Ok?"

She nodded, inhaling sharply as a stabbing sensation ripped through her skull. She felt the back of her head with her finger tips and found the gash there. She remembered his fist in her face, the noise it made when his knuckles connected with her cheekbone, forcing her head backwards against the concrete.

"Ok, were here...." Jonah's voice trailed into the thin, tight air of the cab.

Selina blinked and leaned closer to the fogged up windscreen, her fingers gripping the dashboard for support. The carcasses of the market stalls remained; all closed up and dotted either side of the street, which earlier today had been packed with people. Only now everything was covered in a sparkling, thin layer of frost, making appear like another world. The trapeze tent blocked the end of the road and without warning Selina's pulse quickened, she closed her eyes, her head suddenly swimming.

"I don't feel well," she mumbled and Jonah took her shoulder, easing her back against the seat. He pulled the truck into a lay-by, not far from the trapeze tent, which in the moonlight appeared ghostly.

"The caravans Selina?" he prompted and she swallowed, her eyes flickering open.

She wanted to speak but the pain in her face was making it impossible to form coherent thought.

She exhaled softly. "There is a row of them behind the tent, I think."

"Good," he turned the ignition off. "Stay here!"

Selina watched as he slammed the door behind him, wincing as the car rocked. She tried to close her eyes again but her eyelids were swollen. But keeping them open was making her feel sick. Dimly she realised that there was nothing she could do, that she would just have to endure whatever pain was coming her way, and she had a feeling that it was going to get much worse. The tender skin across her lip felt strained and the gentle probing she had managed with her tongue told her that it was horribly bruised. Her throat felt thick and sore and her eyes were hot. But, she told herself, this had to be nothing in comparison to what Jack had felt, encased in rotten bandages all those months, his skin inflamed and raw.

Something was happening outside the truck, Selina realised. There was bright light coming from behind the trapeze tent. It irradiated upwards, clawing up behind it until she could see the flagpole brightly illuminated against the dark, starry sky. Selina leaned forward again, her breath choking in her throat. There were people running from behind the tent. Some were men and some were women, all dressed in night clothes, their eyes dazed and scared from being rudely awakened. As Selina pushed the door open, one of them ran by the window, a young woman with curlers in her hair.

"Get away!" she screamed when she saw Selina. "Fire! Don't go near!"

Selina's eyes widened as she slid out onto the frozen ground, the ice soaking through her socks. More dashed past her, wide eyed and frightened. The icy cold breeze whipped through her ratty blonde hair, sending it flying into her eyes as she tried to walk, unsteadily towards the tent. She could feel the heat now, like the heat of an open oven grazing her skin. She smelt burning, and saw that behind the tent, the entire row of caravans were alight. Like a disaster scene, they were being eaten alive by the fire, a living breathing monster, hell bent on destruction. At once Selina was five years old again and standing in the wreckage of her apartment building, staring down at a dead woman she used to call 'Mommy'.

Another sound filled the air, loud, wailing and intrusive. Sirens. Cars pulled up alongside her, blocking her view. Seeing the police officers climbing out of their vehicles, sent her into a blind panic.

"Jonah!" she screamed into the night. "Jack!"

Men were everywhere. A fire engine pulled up and men spilled out of the truck, pulling along their hoses and letting cascades of water jet over the burning homes. Tears of panic welled up in Selina's eyes and her legs were suddenly too weak to carry her. She choked on fumes. It seemed that she stood there, rooted to the spot for an eternity. She watched the fire-fighters wrestle with their hoses, putting out the flames that engulfed the caravans. But where was Jack? Where was Jonah?

"Jack!" she screamed again. She willed her legs to move and ignoring the heat on her skin, she made her way to the wreck that were once caravans.

"Whoa!" someone called, grabbing her shoulders. "Where do you think you're going?"

Selina pulled away from the stranger, glimpsing up briefly to see it was a male police officer.

"Let go!" she wailed. "My friend...I have to find him. _It's all my fault_!"

She screamed and kicked as the officer grabbed her around the waist, hoisting her with ease over his shoulder. He opened the door of his car and let her slide out of his grip onto the back seat. When she made to run again, he grabbed her by the shoulders tightly, his eyes locking with hers. To her dismay, she saw his face change and realised he must be looking at her damaged face. Selina found he was brown haired and had nice, clear brown eyes and a furrowed brow. He looked a little older than Jonah, but less lined.

"What happened to you?" he reached his fingertips to her cheek but she wriggled away and he held up his hands. "It's alright! I'm a police officer. I won't hurt you."

Selina realised that she was gripping the shirt covering his upper arms.

"My friend....you have to find him!" she spluttered.

"What's his name?"

"Jack. It's Jack. He came here....he came here for me..." she was babbling and quickly closed her mouth when she saw his brow furrow in confusion.

"He came here for what?" the officer probed. "What happened to you...?"

"Gordon?" a sharper voice came from behind the officer and the younger man whipped his head across his shoulder. "Loeb needs you."

"Right," the man looked back at Selina. "Tell him I'm over here. I have to stay with this girl."

Selina stared at the officer and he tried to smile. It was a sad smile and didn't quite reach his eyes.

"I'm Officer Gordon, but you can call me Jim," he explained. "I have to go and talk to someone. You should stay here. What's your name?"

"Selina," she whispered.

"That's pretty," he smiled again. "You're safe Ok? Just don't go anywhere."

Selina watched as the officer stood, another man, taller and older approached the car. The other man wasn't dressed in a uniform, but in a wrinkled suit, like he'd just crawled out of bed. He tossed Selina a look but continued to speak to the man called Jim.

"We have someone who just confessed to arson," the older man said quietly. Selina watched as he withdrew a cigarette from his top pocket and pop it between his teeth, which in the afterglow of the blaze ripping through those homes, seemed absurd.

"Confessed?" Jim's face furrowed again and Selina supposed he did that a lot.

"He has a boy with him too. Its...I don't know...a bit odd. I want you to take them both in for questioning..."

Selina's heart picked up speed. She bolted from the back of the car, Jim's head whipping in her direction momentarily but she dodged past him. Her feet slid across the icy ground, her chest breaking from trying to breathe and run at the same time.

Where were they? Frantically she pushed her way through paramedics and firemen. People, injured and burned were being carried away from the blaze on stretchers. Her heart was tearing in two. Jack had done this. He had hurt these people. But she had to find him.

"_Selina_. Selina come back!" Jim's voice echoed behind her, but she ignored it. Suddenly she saw a man she recognised. He was sitting in the back of an ambulance, with two officers by his side. Selina was there in seconds and Jonah saw her too late. She ignored his warning stare, too relieved to see him. His face was sweaty and black from soot. Then she saw Jack. He was sitting in the back of the ambulance, breathing into a machine, his face and hair charred and dirty.

"_Jack!_" she cried and he met her eyes. For one second, she thought he looked angry, her heart plummeting but then he pulled the breathing apparatus away from his face. He moved his mouth into that lazy half smile, but it was a smile of relief. Selina closed her eyes and swayed on her feet. Dizziness swept over her and it seemed at once the ground was rushing up towards her face.

"Hold on, Selina," that kind voice was back again and she gripped Jim's shirt front. "Hold onto me."

Selina wanted to, but her head fell forward and she drifted into darkness.

////

She woke up shivering, with a coat covering her body. Her neck was twisted to one side and she groaned. She propped herself up on her elbows and looked around the room. Selina found she was on a firm, long bench in a messy office. It smelt like stale coffee, the bins overflowing with empty Styrofoam cups, Selina wrinkled her nose, swinging her legs to the floor. There were photos plastered up all over the walls, some of groups of men and some of half naked women. Selina rubbed her arms, aching all over. Standing on numb legs she moved slowly for the door, just as it opened. The man with the sad smile came in, a blanket draped over his arm. He smiled, relieved when he saw her.

"Hey, you're awake," he said, taking her shoulders gently and guiding her back to the bench. He draped the blanket over her shoulders and rubbed her arms. "How are you feeling?"

Selina stared down at him. "Where's Jack?"

Jim blinked at her. "Oh, you mean the young man. He's fine, don't worry. We had to ask him a few things but we caught the man who started the fire. We need to ask you a few things though. Are you feeling up to it?"

Selina nearly choked. "Where is Jonah? I want to see him, please!"

Jim held up his hands. "It's alright. We've called the children's home and you're nurses are on the way. It's all going to be fine."

Selina's eyes began to water uncontrollably. "No...you don't understand! Please I have to see Jonah!"

Just then the door cracked open and the older man in the suit came in, a half burned cigarette hanging from between his teeth and a steaming cup of coffee in his hands. He gave Selina a slight smile.

"Hey sweetheart," he mumbled, placing the coffee among the debris on his desk. "We didn't think you were ever going to wake up. She Ok, Jim?"

Jim Gordon stood reluctantly. "The paramedics looked her over and she seems fine. But I'd like to ask her a few things. Can we use your office a bit longer?"

The older man motioned for Gordon to approach him and he lowered his voice. Selina kept her eyes low but listened intently. Gordon cast her a quick glance to make sure she wasn't listening.

"There is something not quite right with this one Gordon," Loeb said, letting smoke trail from between his teeth. "The guy's confession doesn't make any sense. There's no real motive and I get the feeling he's covering."

Gordon shoved his hands in his pockets. "Who for?"

Loeb cast Selina a glance and shrugged. "The kid...her? Look at her face. Someone nearly knocked the crap out of her. The boy's covered in bruises too."

"Maybe something's going on at the children's home?" Gordon speculated softly and Selina felt the hairs stand up on the back of her neck, her heart dropping into her stomach.

Selina kept her eyes downcast as Loeb past her, shutting the door softly behind him. She felt Gordon's stare return to her and her face grew hot. What was she supposed to say to him? How could she ever explain the way she looked? She heard his feet moving quietly across the carpet and suddenly he was kneeling in front of her.

"Selina," he whispered after what seemed like an eternity. "You can trust me."

She exhaled, knowing on some level that was true. She felt safe with him, his warm smile making her relax. But she couldn't tell him the truth.

"I want to see my friend," she said tightly, folding her arms and lifting her chin.

Jim sighed. "If someone has hurt you....if you feel like you can't speak to anyone else..."

Selina looked away. "I just want to know he's alright."

Groaning he stood, brushing the dust from the carpet off his knees. He left the room and Selina let the breath she had been holding escape from between her teeth. She leaned forward, suddenly feeling so sick. There were frantic voices outside the office and she blinked rapidly, recognising the female tones. It was Rene. Her heart plummeting, she braced herself as the door banged open and was face to face with the older, grey faced nurse.

"Oh, Selina," she breathed. "You're alright."

Selina stood up, just as Ally followed in the door behind Rene, then Gordon closely behind. Ally looked pale and ten years older, her auburn hair sticking out in wisps from her head. Gordon shut the door behind them, clearly flustered.

"Ladies, please. I have to talk to Selina," he cautioned them but Rene stepped forward, stony faced.

"I think we both can see she is in no fit state to talk to you," she said icily. "Why can't we just take her home and you can come to us in the morning?"

Gordon smiled ruefully. "That would be convenient wouldn't it? So that gives you plenty of time to get your story straight."

Rene snorted. "I don't understand why you're insisting on holding them both. You have the man that did this. He confessed, I believe."

Gordon raised his eyebrows. "Forgive me nurse but there is something about this whole situation that doesn't add up. Jonah Kane has been in your employ for over ten years and I find it hard to believe that you're so willing to accept his guilt!"

Selina cast a glance at Ally. She was hovering by the door, wringing her red scarf in her hands, her lips nearly blue in contrast to her pale face. Their eyes met briefly and Selina caught the imploring look in her tired eyes. She remembered the way Jonah had kissed Ally's hand earlier tonight and the glance they had shared. Selina felt like she was caught in a whirlwind, she wanted to speak, for Ally and for Jonah, but something kept coming back to her. It was what Jonah had said to Ally before they had left Humberside tonight.

Someone would come looking for Jack. Jonah was trying to protect them all. Tears stuck in her throat. She could hardly bear the thought of Jonah locked in a prison cell, alone and shivering, knowing that he had done this to protect them. Jack had set that fire, he had gone after the boy who'd hurt her. Rene knew it, Ally knew it and even Jim Gordon knew it but nobody was going to speak.

After a long, uncomfortable silence between the four of them, Gordon appeared to back down.

"You can't hold Jack or Selina here," Rene said firmly. "You have nothing to accuse Jack with and you have the man who did it. We've been through hell tonight, please let us all go home."

Gordon raked his hands through his smooth dark hair. Before he opened the door he threw Selina a careful look. She tried to smile as she walked past him, Ally's hand guiding her out into the busy corridor of the GCPD. Outside it was chaotic and noisy, officers nipping past them, talking or shouting into cell phones, everywhere it seemed a phone was ringing. It made Selina's head hurt.

Something warm touched her shoulder. She looked up into Jim Gordon's face.

"Remember what I told you, Selina," his eyes were glassy, and then he looked up at Rene. "I'll bring you you're boy. But this isn't over."

Rene looked away and all at once the three of them were alone in the bustling corridor. Selina turned to Rene, her mouth open to speak but the older woman threw her a warning glare.

"Do not say a word!" Rene hissed at her. "We'll discuss it in the morning."

Ally appeared to be coming apart at the seams. Her eyes kept filling up and she made choking noises from her throat. Covering her mouth with her hands, she turned away as Gordon reappeared, holding Jack firmly by his side. Selina's heart leapt into her throat. Just seeing him made her head whirl. He was filthy and covered in dirt and soot, his face a mass of cuts and bruises. She felt him move beside her and she fought the urge to hold his hand.

"You were very lucky, young man," Gordon peered down at him. "That blaze killed everyone in that row of caravans. It's a miracle you got out at all."

Selina's blood froze. So he _had _killed tonight. She snapped her head in his direction and caught his gaze. They shared unspoken words, a secret she was doomed to keep for the rest of her life. When his eyes refused to leave hers, she was the first to break the lock that held them. Someone was being brought down the corridor. Ally gasped and Selina whirled around.

Jonah was being led by two armed guards. His face was ashen under the coating of soot. Selina had never seen him like that before, he looked sad and humble. Her heart twisted in her chest, her eyes filling up, and the knot in her throat threatening to break. Jonah gazed at Ally sadly, his own eyes watery.

Ally broke away from the group and threw her arms around his neck, clinging to him desperately.

"Jonah, don't do this, _please_!" she moaned into his shirt front. Rene gripped Ally's shoulders but Jonah pulled her back into his embrace. They held each other tightly for a moment. He was whispering something into her hair. It was so unbearably sad that the guards let them have their moment, before roughly tugging Jonah away. Ally was red faced and weeping, she leaned against the wall for support as they led him away. She slid down the wall and wailed into her hands. Finally Selina could take no more. The knot dissolved and she was crying too. How could she never see Jonah again? He had been part of her life for as long as she could remember. How could he leave them like this?

Someone was holding Selina's arm and she realised, distantly it was Jack. Weakly she leaned against him, her heart slowing to a low beat. She was suddenly so drained.

"Come on now," Rene's voice was tired and defeated. "Let's get you all home,"

Rene led them out of the grey building, all silent in her wake. Ally got in the front seat, her face a mass of run mascara as Rene got into the driver's side. The car started up, filling with steam as it began to warm up. As the heater kicked in, Selina let her eyes close, leaning her head back on the head rest. She felt someone tugging their fingers through her ratty hair and she realised it was Jack. The movement was soft and deliberate, his fingers entwining with her curls. She could feel the heat of his gaze on her face, but she kept her eyes closed. Rene pulled the car away and Selina drifted into a restless sleep.

"I'll never forgive myself for this," Ally whispered from the front seat. "We let him do that for us."

Rene stared ahead, her face composed like a stone carving. "He knew what he was doing. I know you think I don't care....but I do, more than you'll ever know," she looked at the two children in the back seat. "Jonah is doing this for us. He's protecting us."

Ally let out a long breath. "I know."

The two women sat in silence for a long time. The car wound its way through the quiet Gotham narrows, headed out towards home. Ally cast a glance at Jack and Selina in the rear of the car. Selina was fast asleep, her head lulling from side to side as the car bumped along.

"We need to watch him," Rene said at last, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's _dangerous_ Ally."

Ally leaned her head against the steamed up passenger window and closed her eyes.

"He's just a boy, Rene," she whispered before closing her own eyes.

"We both know what he's capable of Ally. Don't forget where he came from. I'm not sure I like this...relationship he has with Selina."

Ally made a noise that sounded like a snort.

"Relationship? Rene....they're _children_."

Rene looked in the rear view mirror. She swallowed at what she saw. Jack had pulled Selina against him, like she was a doll he was holding under his arm. He was staring down at her bruised, swollen face, running his fingers through her matted blonde curls. Something about the way he was looking at her made Rene want to look away, as if she'd intruded on a private moment. To Rene, it seemed they had more of a connection than any of the other children in Humberside. It was real and somehow, very adult.

"You're right," she said to Ally under her breath, not believing her own words. "They're just children, aren't they?"


	12. Coming up for Breath

**Hi all! This has been a long time coming and I apologise. I've had a lot going on at work and all I've wanted to do is to get to this. This is much shorter than other chapters, but it's a bit tense. I hope you all still enjoy this and I promise hand on heart that I will be writing more as time goes on (that's if anyone still remembers me!!) Thank you to all of those who have reviewed recently, I really appreciate any advice or views and I love getting them, of course!**

**Coming up for Breath**

Jim Gordon made good on his promise. It wasn't over. Selina was sitting underneath the window pane on the second floor landing, when they both heard the sound of tyres crunching over frozen gravel. Winter had arrived in Gotham City and although it was her preferred time of year, Selina couldn't take any delight in it.

Winter at Humberside had always meant snow ball fights, trudging through thick lashings of soft white drifts, which reached Selina's thighs. It meant she could easily hide under woollen jumpers, nobody caring that she was covered from wrist to chin. It meant huddling in the day room watching television when it began to grow dark at four o clock, with Suzie at her side and Tony sitting on the rug by their feet.

But that wasn't going to happen anymore. Since the night of the fire, her friends looked at her differently. It was as though she were a stranger to them. To them, it was her fault Jonah was no longer here and Selina felt the guilt every second that he'd been locked away. Even Ally, her once unlikely friend and confident, could no longer look at her in the eyes. The older woman appeared to have aged ten years in the six weeks he'd been gone. She barely made any effort with her appearance, her clothes often wrinkled and dirty. Her hair was dishevelled and she didn't bother with makeup. To Selina, Ally was broken beyond repair.

And Selina knew it was her fault. The place was at a loss without Jonah, his absence almost unbearable. The house was cold, things needed mending, and the floors were dirty. But most of all, it was the pain of him just not _being _there. She missed hearing his whistle while he worked around the house. She missed his bark as he rounded them all up like sheep at night. The thought of him, alone in a cell, made her stomach lurch. And there was nobody left for her to talk to, except Jack.

The night of the fire had changed both of them. If Suzie and Tony regarded Selina as different, that was because she was different. A strange, new girl had come home that night, not the sweet, quiet Selina they were used to. Her eyes were different. She'd seen death. To the other children of Humberside, Selina was just like him now. Their indifference towards her and her shame only seemed to push her closer to him. She had no one else.

Selina and Jack were outcasts. They spent most of their time up on the second floor, where Selina could have some breathing space from the guilt that she felt every time she met Ally's eyes. In the six weeks that had passed, he had said very little of what had happened that night. His facial scars were becoming less and less angry. Selina barely noticed them now, but she knew that he still felt them. He had developed an odd, almost annoying habit of running his tongue around the inside of his mouth, as if he were checking that they were still there.

The bruising he had obtained from the beating he had taken in the alley was no longer there. He healed quickly. Selina no longer felt the pain from what that boy had done to her, but she still recoiled at the memory. Sometimes she easily became lost in thought, her mind processing every detail of what happened right up until the moment he violated her.

She couldn't go there yet. When she came out of her haze, Jack was often just watching her, an odd expression in his eyes. They had developed an odd alliance. He seemed to read her thoughts and they often spent just hours sitting side by side upstairs, reading or playing cards, content in each other's silence. Selina found being around him quite soothing at times. This was strange considering how they began their relationship.

Sometimes, he was too erratic and edgy to be around, as if something was eating him up inside and he needed to be alone. His presence could be oppressive and uncomfortable, forcing her away from him. But he soon sought her out when he'd calmed down. Jack never wanted to be away from her for too long.

They talked about different things, things they liked cartoons, books and comics. They talked about going to see a real circus in the main city centre. But they never talked about that night. It was almost infuriating for Selina. She tried to trick him into conversations about it, but he always managed to dodge her clever questioning.

"Why did you kill all of them?" she had asked abruptly one day. Once again, they were on the second floor landing, under the window. They had been playing cards. He'd stared at her, his eyes like black holes.

For a while he didn't even answer, just gazing down upon the cards that he shuffled easily between his long fingers. Selina couldn't believe that she'd dared ask such a question. But he had never said a word about that night.

"They were in his way," he said, his voice low. "They were just....there."

His coolness shocked her. "What if I had been....in the way? Would you have done the same to _me_?"

He sighed, a strange half smile tugging at his lips. He reached out and pinched a strand of her hair between his fingers, giving it a gentle tug, another odd habit he had developed.

"But you weren't," he answered, dividing the deck between them.

"Don't you feel....I don't know...._bad_?" his attitude was exasperating. Selina often wondered if he cared at all about human life? Did he care about Jonah? And if he didn't care about those things, what did _she_ mean to him?

"Why would I feel bad?" Jack snapped suddenly, his sudden shift in mood making her edgy. "He would have...." he struggled for words, which was unlike him. "He was going to hurt you. I stopped him. _Permanently_. He won't hurt anyone else ever again and the way I see it, is that I did the world a favour."

"But Jack...all those people...died because of what you did."

"They were in the way. I keep telling you but you don't listen match girl!"

Selina didn't bring up the subject again. She prayed every night that Jack felt some remorse for what he had done. Over the last few weeks, despite all that had happened, Selina had grown feelings for Jack. She didn't have words to describe what she felt. Only that in his presence she felt safer than she had ever had. And she felt accepted. The fact that in one night he had become a murderer made her sick right through to her stomach. But some distant part of her pushed those thoughts away.

Selina told herself over and over that somehow he _must_ feel remorse for what he had done. Because if he didn't then he really _was_ those things that she heard Tony call him. And if that was true, what did that make her? Was she a monster too? She didn't feel bad that the boy who had held her down in that cold alley was dead. But she felt sick that so many others had died.

Then the morning came that Selina had been dreading. The young, dark haired officer climbed out of his car and Selina watched from the upstairs window as he stepped into the knee high snow, trudging his way across the front yard.

"He's here," she swallowed audibly. Jack lifted his head from the newspaper that was spread out across the landing.

"Who?" he asked in a bored fashion.

"Jim Gordon," her voice rose in panic. This was it. He was here to take Jack away. The thought made her sway on her feet and she gripped the window ledge for support. She couldn't lose him too!

There was lots of movement going on in the hallway down below as Selina reached the first floor landing. Ally, dressed in a grubby grey shift and an apron was standing in the hallway, her face strained and pale. Selina realised she must be waiting for news of Jonah and her heart sank.

Selina saw Rene take Ally by the shoulders and push her to one side.

"Stick to the story!" the older nurse hissed. "Do you _understand_?"

Ally nodded not really hearing, her eyes wide as Jim Gordon strolled up the porch steps, shaking the snow off his boots. Rene automatically ran her hands over the bun at the nape of her neck, never a hair out of place. She brushed down her apron as the officer pushed open the door.

"Ladies," he greeted them cordially. "May I come in?"

Rene fastened a smile over her tight features and took the umbrella out of his hands.

"We expected you a lot sooner Officer Gordon," she chided gently, the smile never reaching her fierce eyes.

Gordon stood awkwardly in the hall, his eyes roaming over the peeling walls and the flight of stairs. Selina was too late to duck out of sight. He met her eyes briefly and when Rene's back was turned he winked. Somehow all the tension left her body. She felt warm and smiled back, ducking behind the banister, before anyone saw her.

"Officer..."Ally pleaded. "How...how is Jonah? I've tried to visit him several times but he won't see me..."

The familiar sound of tears clouding her voice was unbearable and Gordon put a hand on her shoulder.

"He's doing just fine," he tried to reassure. "And I apologise for not coming sooner with news. It's been a long investigation and it's far from over. Some new evidence, which has come to light, is the reason that I'm here today."

Rene's face visibly paled. Ally didn't seem to hear anything else.

"So...why won't he see me? Can't you tell me anything that's been going on?"

Gordon took her by the shoulders but she pulled away roughly.

"Is he alright? I've heard terrible things about Black Gate Prison...all those people that died there in the riots..."

"I can't talk about the investigation but as far as I'm aware Mr Kane is doing fine. He's eating. He hasn't been involved with any other inmates. As for why he isn't accepting visits...maybe he wants to give it some time? Maybe he is ashamed of what he did?"

Ally turned away, her shaking hands covering her mouth. "But he didn't do anything wrong."

Gordon sighed. "He confessed to the murder of that boy and the six people in those caravans."

Selina felt the hairs rise up on the back of her arms. Jack was standing close behind her, she could feel him breathing. She cast him a look over her shoulder and saw that he was listening intently.

"He's come for you," she whispered, tears choking up in her throat. At that moment Selina thought that if she had to see Jack lead away, like she had watched Jonah go, she would throw herself in front of the car. There was no way that Jack could _not _be here. The pain she felt in her chest was unbearable and she sat on the step, her breathing erratic. If this was just a piece of what Ally was feeling right now, then she didn't know how the woman managed to keep from breaking.

"So..." Rene's voice was tight. "I expect that you want to see the boy."

Gordon lifted his eyes just for a moment and caught sight of Selina gripping the banister, her face red and her eyes wide.

"Actually, Miss Falcone," he smiled grimly. "It was you I wanted to speak with."

////

The air in the hallway was thick with tension. Selina stared down at the three people, her own heart thudding loudly in her chest. Falcone? Why had he called her that?

More importantly, Selina wondered why Rene had lost all the colour from her face. The woman tried desperately to recall what little cool she had left but it was too late.

"Why...what did you call me?"

"I called you Miss Falcone," Gordon answered simply. "Is that a problem?"

Rene spluttered. "That's not my name!"

Ally's eyes were darting between the two, her own face creased with confusion.

Gordon folded his arms across his chest. "Rene Sophia Falcone. It was hard to track you down at first but after a few background searches and Rene Grey was turning up nothing, we looked into some of your financial history..."

Rene's hands were balled into fists at her sides, her clenched lips that were nearly blue. "Stop it...you don't understand..."

"Rene what is he _talking _about?" Ally shot across the floor between them. She looked deranged and her hair was wild about her face. "Why is he _calling _you that?"

"Ally please!" Rene was losing her calm. Her rigid, hard exterior was crumbling. On the stairs, Selina was watching in amazement. She looked over her shoulder and noticed that Jack had gone back to the landing above.

"You mean _you _don't even know?" he shot Ally a bemused glance. "I wonder if Mr Kane even knew that his employer is the youngest sister one of the biggest crime bosses in America."

"I haven't associated with my brother for years!" Rene hissed like an injured animal. "He disowned me when I didn't want to join the 'family' business!"

Gordon shoved his hands firmly in his pockets, not before raking a hand through his short dark hair.

"I wonder how the Wayne Foundation would feel if they knew where their money went every month. Let me guess....you pay him off to keep him out of your hair? He didn't like the thought of his little sister running her own business and making a success of it!"

Rene covered her face with her hands. "Please! You don't _understand_....I had to give him that money!"

Gently, Gordon reached forwards and took Rene by the wrist. "Maybe you can make me understand when we talk about it at the station....if you'll be so kind to come with me?"

Weakly she nodded, all her pomp and fire gone. She looked deflated and at once so tired. But she didn't reach the door before Ally grabbed her wrist, roughly spinning her on her heels.

"Is this what it's all been about from the start?" Ally spat, like a wild cat. "Its all been a lie! A cover! Because you're a _Falcone_! I trusted you....I _listened _to you!"

Rene could barely meet her eyes; she writhed in Ally's grip.

"Ally I couldn't tell you....if you knew what my life has been like....all the lies and the hiding. I just wanted this for myself!"

"Did he know?" Ally cried, her mascara tracking down her face along with her tears.

"What?" Rene squirmed.

"Did he _know_? Did Jonah know about you?"

Rene ducked her head, desperate to look anywhere else but at the wild eyed woman before her.

"_Tell me_!" Ally screamed and on the stairs Selina grimaced. It was like watching a horror show.

"Yes!" Rene cried, finally yanking herself free of Ally's grip. "He knew."

Gordon took Rene by the shoulders and propelled her gently towards the porch. He turned back just in time to see Ally drop to her knees in the hallway, her head hanging between her shoulders. At that moment Selina knew she had to go to her. She shifted from her position on the stairs, taking the steps one at a time until she was standing behind the broken woman on the floor. She reached her fingertips towards Ally just as her head snapped up.

What happened next sent Selina reeling back in fright. It made Jim Gordon stop cold on the porch steps and Rene's face freeze in shock.

Ally opened her mouth and let out a howl of pain. It was a scream that had come from deep inside her soul, filled with pain and hate. It was a few moments before Selina recovered enough courage to step closer. Jim Gordon, clearly shocked by the woman's wrenching out pour of grief, looked away and closed the porch door after him.

The wretched noise had caused a hush of silence to fall over the house. Nurse Hayley appeared from the kitchen, her apron messy from where she had been feeding the other children. Out of nowhere, Tony and Suzie appeared from the dayroom door, their faces ashen and shocked.

Selina watched Gordon lead Rene to the police vehicle in the driveway. As if she felt the girl lingering there, Ally whirled about. Ally's face was a mess, tears tracked through what little makeup she had on, her eyes red and swollen. Ally wiped her face with her apron, her shoulders trembling.

"Ally..." Selina whispered. "Are you...?" Somehow she couldn't bear to finish the sentence. She just let it hang in the air between them. Of course Ally wasn't alright.

"Oh Selina..."Ally sobbed. Selina didn't know how it happened but all at once she was in the older woman's grip. Ally had wound her arms around Selina's waist and was hugging her tightly. Normally uncomfortable with any kind of hugging or contact, Selina's first impulse was to wriggle away, but when she heard the terrified sobbing coming out of Ally's mouth, she found herself winding her arms around her, trying to offer what little comfort she could.

"We were engaged Selina," Ally choked. "I was going to get married."

"I'm sorry," Selina whispered and Ally began to cry into Selina's shirt front.

"I can't breathe....I feel like I can't breathe," Ally said. "What am I going to do?"

Selina's eyes filled with tears. She felt the breath rising up in her throat. She wanted to say so many things. She wanted to say how truly sorry was. Instead she held onto Ally as more snow fell from the sky onto the porch, disguising the fact that Jim Gordon had ever been there at all.

**Hope you enjoyed that! If anyone is wondering, Jack and Selina's relationship is meant to be quite intense and I hope that this is coming across. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them. There are only a few more chapters before the story moves on to adult hood.**


	13. Juvenille

**Hey all, here is another one. I'm on a bit of a roll today. Once again thank you to those who have reviewed**!!

**Juvenile**

Rene didn't come back and in those hours that she was gone it felt like the house had turned into a different place. It seemed that chaos had ensued. Nurse Hayley was the only adult left in the entire building, at least the only adult that had any sense. The young, twenty one year old trainee had forced Ally to her bedroom after Jim Gordon had left, coaxing her into bed. She emerged from the room pale faced and grim.

Selina had remained in the hallway after Ally's breakdown, too numb to move herself. Shivering, Selina had closed the porch door after Jim Gordon, brushing away fallen snowflakes with her sneaker. When she turned, Jack was on the bottom step, his mouth pressed into a thin line and his long arms folded across his chest. For once, she was relieved to see that he wasn't wearing that odd, mocking expression on his face. Suzie was watching from the day room door and Selina tried to meet her old friend's eyes, but Suzie looked away. Feeling her stomach wrench, Selina hesitantly made her way towards Jack.

"Selina wait a minute!" Suzie's voice was strained and Selina whirled on her heels, relief flooding through her. Suzie walked towards her, arms folded defensively. Her brow was furrowed, making the freckles on her forehead all join together.

"Don't go back up there," Suzie lowered her voice, her eyes darting towards Jack, still perched on the stairs. "Come with us."

Selina's heart wrenched in two.

"What about Jack?" she asked and was met with a furious glare from Tony, who had appeared at Suzie's side. He towered over them now, Selina had barely noticed how much he'd grown, his shoulders were square and hands looked stretched.

"What _about _him?" Tony sneered. "He's trouble Selina. Can't you see that?"

Selina swallowed, trying to keep the anger that was boiling inside her at bay. Why couldn't they give him a chance? Maybe Jack could be good if he had people who cared enough about him.

"He's my _friend_," she said through gritted teeth and this was met with an exasperated sigh from Suzie.

"We were your friends before he came along...and now...it's like we don't know you anymore. _Please _Selina, stay down here with us!"

"We've heard Nurse Rene and Ally talking and we know what he did Selina!" Tony shot, his voice confused and angry. "How can you be nice to him? He's a _freak_!"

The emphasis on the word freak, the aggression and venom that flowed with it made her reel back on the balls of her feet. She shuddered, knowing that behind her, Jack could hear everything that they were saying and it made her heart hurt.

Selina narrowed her eyes, which were quickly filling up with hurt tears. "_Don't call him that_! You don't know what happened and have _no_ right!"

"You've changed Selina!" Suzie cried, her own eyes watery, threatening to burst. "You were my best friend and now...you don't even _look t_he same!"

How do I look? Selina wanted to scream. She was suddenly hot and uncomfortable in her turtle neck, her ears red and scorching. Do I look like someone who got beaten to a pulp and then held down on the ground? Do I look like someone who was...was....?

"You _weren't _there. You don't know what happened to me," her voice was like ice. "Why don't you go back to your colouring books and fairy tales and stay the hell away from _us_?" Selina didn't need to shout to make her point disturbingly clear. Her own voice surprised her. She sounded threatening and Suzie took the full blast of it in the face. She saw the girl's eyes crease at the corners, heard her sharp intake of breath. It was true to say that their friendship was definitely over.

Selina was with Jack now.

"Suzie come away, she isn't worth it!" Tony snapped, grabbing the smaller girl's shoulder but she wriggled away. Selina stepped back, folding her own arms and straightening up to her full height, which was substantially taller than Suzie. Suzie's face was reddening, angry and hateful. She stepped back, her feet apart.

"She isn't sorry Tony! She doesn't care that Jonah is gone, and now Rene. She doesn't care that Ally is a mess....and it's all _his _fault!"

"It's not his fault and of course I care!" Selina cried, not bothering to hold back any longer. Fury erupted in her belly like a geyser and it took all her cool not to slap the smaller girl in the face.

"Are you coming Selina?" Jack's voice came from the stairs and that moment that Selina looked away was all the little red head needed to attack. Suzie ran full pelt at Selina, her little hands colliding with Selina's shoulders, making her stagger but not fall. Shocked, Selina cried out as Suzie lunged again, this time aiming for her stomach. Air whooshed through Selina's teeth; she tumbled backwards, her back hitting the polished floor with a tremendous thud. Suzie yelled, jumping on top of her, grabbing a fist full of Selina's blonde hair, her eyes wild and erratic.

The two older boys had barely time to react. Tony was too shocked and surprised to move and Jack cocked his head, merely amused. Selina glanced up at him and knew this time; he wasn't coming to her aid. In those painful moments, with Suzie scrabbling around on top of her, yanking her hair for all she was worth, and Selina dodging her blows, she saw his face and wanted to die from embarrassment.

She could practically hear his thoughts. Oh come on girl, he was thinking, you can do better than that! Selina's face flamed, her right hand balling into a fist.

The seconds that followed and the look on her old friend's face, Selina swore she would never forget. She brought her fist back and swung it so hard that she felt Suzie's rib break when her fist connected with the tender flesh there. Suzie howled with pain, tearing clumps of hair from Selina's scalp. But those moments of weakness were all Selina needed. She had forgotten that she was a good kicker. She brought up both knees to her chest and pushed out so hard that Suzie went flying backward into the wall, her head smacking the plaster so hard it cracked. Selina rose to her feet, tears of pain streaking down her face.

Suzie lay against the wall, her head lolling to one side, blood pouring from the gash on the back of her skull.

Suddenly everything had gone muffled. Selina was looking around her in a daze, hardly able to comprehend what she had done. Tony was crying out for Hayley and in slow motion, Hayley was rushing down the stairs, her eyes wide and frightened. Tony was shaking Suzie's shoulders, her wild red curls dancing around her face. Weakly her eyes opened and Selina exhaled.

She felt something hold her hand and realised that Jack was beside her. She breathed more easily and met his eyes. Suzie looked up at them, their two blonde heads close together and she began to cry again.

"What have I done?" Selina whispered so low that only Jack heard her. He squeezed her hand hard and she began to shake, the reality of what she had done beginning to dawn.

"You fought back," he leaned closer to her. "And you beat her."

"I...I didn't mean to hurt her!" Selina stumbled over her words, dropping Jack's hand and kneeling by Hayley's side. "Suzie...I'm _so_ sorry!"

Hayley met her eyes, confused and annoyed and pushed her back firmly. "Leave us, Selina. We'll deal with this later." The nurse glanced behind her at some of the other, younger children that had gathered in the hallway to watch the tussle.

"Daren can you fetch the first aid kit from the kitchen? I can't leave you all to take her to hospital!" she called to a small brown haired boy that was lingering nearby. Selina watched him dart off, not before he threw her a terrified and wary glance.

Hayley scooped Suzie up in her arms, staggering slightly under her weight and swiftly carried her to the day room. Tony, ashen and confounded went to follow but Selina caught his arm.

As though he'd been touched by a snake, Tony jumped back. He sneered at her, but what she saw in the depths of his eyes, sent spirals of shame coursing through her. She saw fear in his eyes. He was frightened of _her._

"Tony, please....I'm so sorry!" she pleaded but he turned his back on her.

"Not as sorry as you will be," he threw the promise over his shoulder before slamming the door to the day room shut.

Selina covered her face with her hands and wept into them. How had things gone so wrong? She had hurt her best friend, really hurt her. Would Suzie ever talk to her again? Her shoulders slumped; she turned and saw Jack waiting for her on the stairs. He was staring down at his hands, occasionally lifting them to his mouth to bit off his already short nails. Feeling her eyes on him, he looked up and gave her that crooked smile, the one that made her stomach feel all tight.

Suddenly the truth was glaringly obvious. She _was_ like him now. Something primal inside her had snapped when Suzie had attacked her. The need to survive, the urge to fight had come so easily. Her body had reacted instinctively, almost a little too well. Selina realised that she had protected herself, but most of all she was protecting him.

"You coming?" he asked again, holding out his hand. Selina stared at it, waiting there for her to take it so he could lead her back up there, away from everything in her life that up until now, had been good and safe. That life had been a lie because now she knew, that even someone you thought you loved once, your best friend, could turn against you, because they were afraid. They could attack you, hit you and claw at you, because they just didn't understand.

Jack dropped his hand to his side, letting it hit his thigh. He looked disappointed and almost a little sad. She hadn't realised how long she had been staring at it.

"Guess not then," he murmured. He turned on his heels and Selina felt her heart lurch into her throat.

"Jack, wait!" she called mounting the steps. He didn't smile when she took his hand, but his eyes lifted in a gesture that said, he was glad. He hadn't been wrong after all.

As his fingers closed around hers, Selina wondered if this was what he had wanted all along. Maybe he had wanted to isolate her from her friends? Maybe he thought that on some level he was showing her the truth? Human nature at its worst. Or maybe, he just wanted something or someone all for himself.

Whatever the reason, Selina knew there was no going back now. The damage was done and friendships were irrevocably broken. She took his hand firmly in her own and let him lead her back to the second floor, where for the rest of the afternoon they would lay on the hard floor of the white room, side by side, staring up at the ceiling.

"What are you looking at?" Jack asked turning on his side after what seemed like a lifetime of not talking. It felt good not to talk, just to breathe and to think. She didn't turn to face him, but felt his gaze on her face, making her hot. She didn't want to think about her old friend downstairs, being patched back up. It made her stomach churn.

Selina half smiled. "Nothing. Just pretending that I'm somewhere else,"

Jack snorted. "Here is just fine for me."

"Try it," she urged closing her eyes. She wanted to block out the images of Suzie's face when she punched her in the stomach. That look of surprise and horror was one Selina wouldn't forget easily.

She glanced sideways at him and saw that he was now laying flat on his back and she guessed he was doing the same thing. He ran his tongue along his scars, his eyes narrowed as he concentrated and she giggled, knowing that of all people he would have the most difficult time playing this game.

"Having trouble?" she mocked and he threw her a glare.

"It's just that....why would I pretend to be somewhere else? When being here...is just fine for me."

Selina swallowed and blushed deeply, knowing what he was trying to say. She felt his fingers inch across the floor towards her own out stretched hand. They didn't quite touch but it was close enough.

Soon, they would face the consequences of what had happened today. Soon, Rene _would _come home and things would change. But for now she just wanted to pretend that they were anywhere else and upstairs was all that existed.

"I would do it again," she said at last, breaking the silence and Jack, lying motionless beside her, chuckled.

"It's who you are, match girl," he murmured softly and she closed her eyes again. "Your instinct is to fight back. She attacked you. You fought back. It won't be the first time."

Selina let his words wash over her, closing her eyes an accepting them.

Downstairs, Hayley was too busy tending to Suzie, still half dazed to notice that a black Mercedes had pulled up in the driveway. She didn't hear the man open the porch door and she didn't hear his footsteps in the hall as he stepped inside. The man, tall and square shouldered was dressed in a neat grey suit and a large heavy, black overcoat. He looked around the dilapidated hallway, half approving and thinking how well his little sister had done for herself.

He thought that it was a pity that now she had been rumbled, it would all have to come to an end. The man took off his hat, placing it on the iron stand in the doorway. Suddenly a frail, red faced nurse appeared on the top step. Ally stared down at the stranger.

"Good afternoon, Miss," his voice was heavily laced with an Italian accent. He smiled broadly and Ally stiffened. She straightened her apron, thinking at once at how handsome he was and how absurd she must appear to him. She hadn't even washed the run mascara off her face.

"Who are you?" her voice was weak and he stepped a little closer into the hallway.

"My name is Benito," he introduced himself. "Benito Falcone. I have received a call from my little sister and it seems that there have been a few problems."

Ally frowned. Had news of Rene's arrest come that quickly? How long had she been asleep? She noticed that outside the sky was getting overcast and shadowy.

"I don't understand Mr Falcone," she said, closing the gap between them, half hoping that he couldn't smell the brandy that she had used to help her sleep. "Rene is at the police station if you want to see her. I don't think I can help you...up until today we didn't know that she..."

He smirked and flashed a row of impeccably straight teeth. "That she was related to the mob. No I'm sure Rene kept that little secret to herself. But now the time has come to end her little 'project' here. Big brother's orders I'm afraid."

Ally blinked, stepping back as he leaned closer to her. "End it?"

"Yes, you see we can't be implicated in any of the little scams that our sister was running through this place, it could ruin our family...reputation," at that he actually chuckled. "So we need you to leave."

Ally blinked again. His mouth pressed into a thin line as he waited for the threat to sink through her thick head. "Leave?" she repeated. "What are you talking about?"

He folded his arms across his chest. In doing so, his coat lifted and Ally caught sight of the silver handled revolver tucked into his coat pocket. Her breath froze in her throat.

"I don't like repeating myself," he lowered his voice to a whisper and Ally began to tremble. "You have until tomorrow night. We want every single last one of you gone by then."

Ally began to splutter. "But sir....we have over twenty children in residence here...some are newborn babies!"

He leaned so close that she could smell his cologne. "My brother doesn't give a dam about any of your little rats. The game is over now and he's through playing. If you're not out of this house by tomorrow evening, we'll burn it down while you sleep. You got it?"

With that, he grabbed his hat from the stand and once more threw a dazzling grin at her over his shoulder.

"Oh and no _running_ to the cops now either, Nurse! Unless you want all of your little ones lined up and executed while we make you watch. Have a great afternoon, wont you?" he sounded as though he genuinely cared about her afternoon, not as though he was threatening murder.

The porch door slammed shut behind him, leaving a flurry of snow in his wake. At the sudden disruption, Hayley emerged from the day room, wiping her sweaty hands on her apron. She froze when she saw the terrified expression on Ally's pale face.

"Who was that?" Hayley demanded, sounding much older than her twenty one years. "What's going on?"

Ally turned to her friend, her voice trembling. "We have to get out!" she stammered. "We have to get out _now_!"

**Thank you Freelancer Seal for your suggestions! Hope everyone is still enjoying this. I am working towards Selina becoming 'Catwoman' don't you worry. In the next couple of chapters we will get more of an idea of how she becomes the little villainess and then it will move into the future, where she will have to deal with the adult Joker and adult Bruce Wayne.**


	14. Carmine's Boy

**Wow, this is a bit of a long one. So I'm saying sorry in advance! Hope you enjoy this though as it took quite a while to write. Just want to say a huge thanks to Freelancer Seal, Vayluh Arwen, Beckoning Disaster and Reality assassin for the great reviews they have left recently. As always let me know your thoughts!**

**Carmine's Boy**

The reality of what was about to happen to them, sobered both nurses almost instantly. They were alone. Jonah was gone. Rene had abandoned them. And now they had the most dangerous crime boss in Gotham hot on their heels.

Selina was almost asleep on the floor of the white room when she heard the sound of frantic footsteps slapping their way up the stairs. Jack sat up fluidly, his body rigid at the sudden intrusion into his world. Nobody came past the first floor stairs these days. Selina scrambled to her feet, blushing furiously, as thought she had been caught kissing him. Pink cheeked, she shoved her hands in her pockets, her heart lurching into her chest as Ally appeared in the doorway, wide eyed.

"Selina...Jack..." she began and Selina mentally braced herself. Ally had obviously just heard about her earlier fall from grace. Selina swallowed and without thinking side stepped closer to Jack, who was standing very still, his head thoughtfully cocked to one side.

"Something has happened and I need your help," Ally began, wringing her hands. "We have to leave Humberside, tonight. We have to get everyone out and we can't do it alone!"

It was then that Hayley appeared in the doorway, her face like stone. She took Ally's shoulder roughly and pulled her aside. They went outside the door and spoke in hushed tones. Selina threw Jack a puzzled look and he shrugged. Selina stepped a little closer.

"I don't give a dam about a childish squabble Hayley!" Ally was ranting and Selina sucked in her breath. "This is serious, do you understand? No one is coming to help us!"

Selina heard Hayley exhale. "This doesn't make any sense. Why can't we call the police? Why can't we speak to that nice Jim Gordon who was here today?"

"We can't go to anyone don't you get it? Rene was a Falcone! A _Falcone_, Hayley! You don't just call the cops on these people. They own the cops. We have to leave here!"

"Well where the hell are we going to go?" Hayley argued, her voice tired after the day she'd endured. "Where the hell are we going to put over twenty children?"

Ally stormed back into the white room and Selina jumped backwards, pretending that she had not been listening. Ally was pacing the floor, her white slip on shoes squeaking over the shiny surface.

"We have to think about this!" she turned to Selina. "Sweetheart....I need your help. You were so good with the younger ones a while back. Can you help me get them all ready? We need to pack up as much of their things as we can!"

Selina nodded weakly, half terrified by the look on Ally's face and half grateful that she wasn't being punished for her earlier misdemeanour.

But Hayley, stubborn as she was, didn't want to let the matter drop. "I'm sure I'm comfortable with that Ally. I'm not sure we can trust her. I just spent half the afternoon patching up little Suzie Newman!"

Ally whirled about rolling her eyes, hands firmly on hips. "Kids fight all the time! And I know that Suzie isn't an angel. I've known that kid since she was two years old and she has quite a bite on her."

"Well she broke one of her ribs Ally!" Hayley shot at her and threw Selina a disappointed glare. Selina felt her stomach drop, remembering the cracking noise Suzie had made when Selina had thrown that punch. It was as if Suzie had been made out of plaster, she had broken so easily.

"Look," Ally stopped pacing and faced the younger, feisty nurse. "Selina can be punished another time. But right now she is one of the most responsible kids in this building. I've seen her with the younger ones and I trust her. Falcone will be coming and there is no arguing that!"

It was Hayley's turn to pace. She went to the window, gliding past Jack as though he were invisible and yanked the window upwards. She breathed in the cold winter air, letting it cool her red face.

"It doesn't change that we have nowhere to go," she replied miserably.

Selina felt the tension growing between the two women and she looked between the two. Jack had hopped up onto his bed and was playing with the leather straps at the sides of it, as though the conversation weren't really happening around them. Selina's eyes suddenly widened. Seeing those straps brought back a memory. The Wayne Funeral. At that time, Jack had been slipping out of his restraints without any trouble at all. It was at the time of the Wayne Funeral.

"Ally," Selina whispered, her voice strange in her ears, having spent the whole afternoon in Jack's silent company. "Mr. Pennyworth seemed like a nice man. What about Mrs. Wayne's house? Would that be big enough for all of us?"

Hayley snorted, perching on the window ledge, arms tightly folded. Then as the idea sank in for a few moments, she jumped to her feet, but not before Ally was talking quickly.

"No!" Hayley hushed her. "We couldn't involve those people, _that_ family. And who's to know he wouldn't call the cops?"

Ally shook her head. "What if we told him that something had happened? That we _had _to get out suddenly. He wouldn't abandon us. And that place in the palisades has room enough for us to never even be seen. We could have a whole wing!"

Hayley shook her head and rubbed her weary eyes. "It's the Wayne Foundation, Ally. They don't just give homes to poor abandoned children. What do you suggest we even tell him? There is no way that we could pull this off!"

Silence engulfed the space between them once more and Selina felt dumb for even mentioning the idea. Just then something happened. Jack, who had been sitting so quietly on the bed, hopped off of it and strolled across the room. With the flat of his palm he pushed the door shut so that the click echoed around the stark walls of the white room. Ally, who had been biting her nails, glanced up and Hayley narrowed her eyes at him. Jack folded his arms and leaned lazily against the door. Selina noticed then how tall he gotten over the past few weeks.

"Fire," Jack said simply, letting the word drift around the room. "We could start a fire."

Selina narrowed her eyes. "Jack...no!" she cried. "This is our _home_!"

"Wait!" Ally held up her hand to silence her. "What do you mean? You're suggesting deliberately starting a fire?"

Hayley shook her head. "That's absurd."

Jack pushed himself away from the wall and wandered back to the bed, where he nimbly hopped back up, crossing his long legs in front of him. He didn't answer, merely picking up the leather straps again, staring down at them, as if fascinated.

"Ally...there is no way we could do that. It's too dangerous!"

"Not if it was planned. Not if we made sure everyone got out!"

"I can't believe....why would you listen to him?" Hayley was incensed. "Think of what could go wrong!"

"They are going to kill all of us!" Ally cried, high pitched.

"We will find another answer. We will find _another _way!"

"He likes to line you up," came Jack's voice again. This time Selina's head snapped in his direction. Her eyes wide in shock, she stared at him open mouthed. He'd taken to examining his hands again, biting off the loose flesh around his nail beds. The two older women stared at him, dumbfounded and Selina could almost hear their inner thoughts. They obviously knew where Jonah had found their strange new resident.

They had known the night they brought him in. Selina inhaled sharply. It was all starting to make sense. Rene was a Falcone and for some reason, she'd been paying him of every month. Maybe Jonah was the one who made the deliveries? Forced to inhabit that world, he had to carry out the jobs his employer handed him. And one night he didn't like what he had seen there.

"He likes you all in a line...all of his boys," Jack's voice was strange, muffled and for the first time in what seemed like an age, he giggled, that nervous, high pitched laughter. Selina realised that he hadn't laughed like that for a long time.

Hayley looked ashen; she rubbed her chilled arms, at once too cold. She pulled the window shut.

"What is he talking about?" she whispered and Ally shook her head wordlessly.

"You're a _lucky_ boy," Jack laughed, as though he were someone else. His voice was that of an older man, someone he could mimic. "You're lucky to be one of Carmine's boys. He liked us in a line. He liked to choose. But funny...he didn't like you to _smile._"

Selina's head was spinning. She felt sick and faint. What had happened to him there? Things she was too young to even imagine. She dimly remembered Jonah's words in the cab of his truck, the night of the fire. He had said that something had happened to Jack, something bad. Something that shouldn't have happened to a child.

"Jesus," Ally whispered. She too looked sick to her stomach.

"If he comes here," Jack continued, his hands in front of his face endlessly fascinating. "He'll line _you _up...like maids all in a row. All you're little lambs. It'll be like Christmas for him....so many to choose from..."

"Alright, stop that!" Hayley snapped. She was pale under her chocolate freckles. "So....fire it is then!"

Ally gestured that Selina sit on the bed next to Jack. Without speaking, Selina crawled up beside him, bumping his shoulder with hers. He didn't look at her but she found herself staring at the puffy scaring that ran from the corners of his mouth, almost up to his ears. She choked back tears.

"This doesn't leave this room!" Ally warned. "We have to make sure that everyone gets out, that no one gets hurt. We should gather up everything we want to take with us...."

"No," Jack interrupted. "Fire wipes the slate clean. You have to leave everything behind. They have to _believe._"

Selina stared at him. "He's right," she agreed. "If it happens, it has to be _real._ The fire has to take everything."

Hayley rolled her eyes at Ally and Selina wondered at her thoughts. They were being coached by kids, after all. Nobody in the room, except maybe Jack, actually believed that they were having this conversation.

"Well," Hayley shrugged. "He _is _the expert."

"Jack, can you help us?" Ally asked, her feet soft as she moved to the foot of the bed. "Can you help us do this?"

Jack had the leather straps in his hands, he pulled them tight so that they made a strained, snapping noise. Selina didn't like the face he was pulling. For a while he just stared at the straps and then finally lifted his head.

"I'll need Gasoline," he mumbled. "And a box of matches."

////

The house was quiet. Selina lay like a board in her bed, her body cold and rigid. Her night gown, as usual was buttoned up to her throat, not an inch of flesh exposed. Although she hadn't said anything to the nurses, she had pulled on some long socks and a thin T shirt under her gown. If they were going to be stuck outside in the snow then to hell with it, she wasn't going to freeze. Suzie had hobbled into bed a little after Selina. Her face was swollen from crying and she could barely move an inch without hissing in pain. Selina's scalp was still red raw from where Suzie had nearly yanked out half her hair earlier today, but she knew she had come out better after the fight.

Selina wished she could warn her old friend of what was going to happen tonight. She lay in the dark, staring at Suzie's back, the truth on her lips. All she had to do was reach out and tell her. But then that would ruin everything.

Jack was going to set fire to the building. Selina began to tremble. It wasn't the first time she had dealt with fire. She knew fire and the pain it caused. It clawed through sleeping buildings and scratched out lives without stopping to breathe. It had taken her Mother and it had mangled her body. Selina knew all about fire and she hoped that Jack didn't mess this up.

The nurses had left the white room after confirming the plan for the fourth time. They both looked exhausted and grey, the weight of responsibility on their shoulders ready to crush them whole. But it had to work. And it had to be believable if they had a chance of being taken in by Mr. Pennyworth.

"I will call him when the fire brigade gets here," Ally reassured after they had gone over the plan. "I'll beg for his help. He won't turn us down, not a house full of children. It's the most, obvious answer."

"Jack will need to change his clothes," Hayley said suddenly. "He'll stink of gasoline."

"I'll meet him in the yard," Selina suggested but both nurses protested.

"I want you out the front with me, Selina," Ally said. "I'm going to need all your help."

"Then I'll leave spare clothes out there and he can change," Selina's voice rose. She didn't like the fact that they were so willing to risk his life. But he was quick and had done things that no other child his age had even contemplated. If anyone could pull it off, Jack could and Selina had to trust he would get out.

In the darkness of the room, Selina closed her eyes, knowing that she would never sleep. She was too tense to sleep anyway and it was probably better if she didn't. She thought about how after the nurses had left the room and it was just them again, alone and sitting side by side on the bed.

"Jack," she had whispered. "If things go wrong...you have to get out...you have to!"

She was crying. Stupid, desperate tears, streaking her face. Trembling she got off the bed, not able to meet his dark eyes.

"I might not see you again," she said weakly. The thought was unbearable, unthinkable. On wooden legs, she walked for the white room door. She heard the bed move behind her and heard his feet skidding over the floor. He caught her around the waist and pulled her backwards, spinning her around to face him. Breathing hard, he ran his hands through her thick hair, pulling her forehead to meet his own. Selina's face was wet and she worried she might spill her tears on him. His own breathing was laboured.

"I _will _come for you," he was insistent and more tears bubbled up out of her throat. "If we get separated...I will come for you."

She held onto his arms, trembling like a kitten. "Just make sure you get out!"

Her own words rang in her ears and she jumped a mile, hearing Suzie shift in the bed next to her. She wondered at the dreams of all the other sleeping children in the room. She wondered how frightened they would be. She knew she had to be strong. She was the one who had to make sure they all got out, and to stop them scurrying like mice.

What time could it be? She felt like she was waiting there for hours. Despite the cold, sweat trickled down her back, making her hair stick to her forehead. She shifted uncomfortably on the cot. The hours seem to tick by and the longer she waited the more tense she felt. She was getting a headache and she rubbed at her temples.

Sighs of contented sleep echoed around the room and she so wished that she was among them. Her eyes were becoming heavier as time wore on. It wasn't long before she smelled something. She smelled smoke.

Flinging herself out of bed, her heart rattling in her chest like a caged bird, she shook Suzie roughly. Her eyes flew to the closed door and she saw the clouds of black smoke, gently billowing under the crack.

"_Get up! Get up_!" she shouted, her throat hoarse. "It's a _fire_!"

Suzie mumbled something in her sleep but already around her the others were stirring.

Selina grabbed one of her shoes and flung it at the window. The thudding noise was startling and to her relief, some of the children began to come to. Suzie stared up at her open mouthed.

"Get away from me!" she screamed, wriggling up out of the bed, taking her sheets with her.

"It's a fire you idiot!" Selina yelled, her face flaming. "Get up and get everyone out of here!"

Tony bounded across the room towards them and wrapped his arms around Suzie's trembling shoulders.

"Get lost _freak!_" he snarled. "Haven't you done enough to her?"

"_Fire!_" one of the smaller children shrieked, making Tony stop mid sentence.

Selina grabbed Suzie's shoulders and stared at her imploringly. "You have to get everyone out of here."

Selina ducked back to the bed and pulled on her shoes, retrieving the one she had sent flying at the window. Suzie began to dress in slow motion but Selina yanked her towards the door.

"No time for that!" she yelled. "Wake up and get everyone out!"

Selina darted through the row of beds, but Tony was hot on her heels. "It's him!" he cried. "He's done this!"

Selina almost wanted to laugh, considering how right Tony was, but she pushed him back. She opened a crack in the door and gasped as smoke, thick and solid wafted into the room. The first floor landing was engulfed with smoke and the moment she opened the door, it would take the bedroom whole. She grabbed Tony by the wrists.

"Get everyone out!" she hissed. "Keep low to the ground, but make sure you get everyone out of here!"

"Where are you going?" he cried. "You're not going to him, are you?"

"I have to help the babies!" Selina yelled, wishing he would drop this whole macho act.

The last thing Selina saw was Tony rallying the younger ones into action as she crawled out of the room. She slipped to her knees, under the smog, coughing and choking as great lungfuls of black entered her mouth. Keeping her lips pressed tightly together, she bumped along the hallway. She could hear their soft cried coming from the nursery. Her knees skidding across the floor, her eyes stinging, she reached for the door handle, using it as a lever to haul her to her feet. Spluttering, she pushed open the nursery door.

"Oh, Selina, thank god!" Hayley yelled. "You have to help me! I can't carry them all!"

Hayley dressed in her night gown, was frantically flying about the room. Selina was up on her feet, scrambling across the floor. She scooped up one of the smallest babies in her arms and then tried for another but it was impossible to carry two at once. It gurgled and moaned in her arms and Selina felt guilt coursing through her.

"I can't take more than one!" Selina panicked. This wasn't going to work. The reality hit her like a cold blast of air. They weren't all going to get out. Selina was so frightened she was almost numb. She was scared for her former friends. She was scared for herself. But most of all she was scared for Jack. Who knew where the hell he was?

"Take one and go!" Selina told Hayley. "I'll get help!"

Hayley pushed her way through the door and fell to her knees. "Selina...I can't see!"

Selina cradled the baby to her chest and followed. When she was out in the hallway, she ducked down to avoid breathing the smog.

"Suzie!" she screamed. "Suzie help me!"

What seemed like endless moments passed, while she waited. Some part of her hoped Suzie had gotten out, but then she saw her red haired friend, crawling towards her, her teeth gritted together from the pain in her ribs.

"I need help," Selina gasped. "Get anyone who can carry one of these kids!"

Silently, a truce had been formed and Suzie skidded off back down the hall. She returned moments later, sweaty faced and pale, but she had three kids with her. Selina spent the next few moments barking out instructions. Every muscle in her body was tense and coiled ready for action. Tony was on the stair way, ushering the smallest kids down the steps in the dark and for that Selina could almost forget how cruel he had been. There were terrified, little chokes for fear coming from each of the smaller ones as they darted blindly down the steps. But they were being so brave and it made her heart ache with pride. She met up with Tony on the landing and pressed the last baby into his arms. He was sooty and grimy faced.

Selina told him. "I have to find Jack!"

Tony's face fell. "He did this Selina. Don't risk you're life for him!"

Selina ignored his comment and slipped back up the hallway. Downstairs she could hear Ally calling out to the younger ones. She could hear the distant sirens of the fire brigade and she breathed more easily, almost. The fire seemed to be coming from the second floor. Her knees aching she made her way to the stair well, gripping the banisters as she hauled herself to her feet.

"_Jack!_" she screamed. She felt the barrage of heat surging down the stairs. Wracked by a coughing fit, she crawled up, ingoing the sweat pouring off her forehead. She pushed through the heat barrier until she surfaced on the second floor landing. The fire was in the white room. The door was open and flames were clawing out, like fingers reaching towards her. Numb with fright, Selina shook herself and gripped the banister.

"_Jack are you here_?" she yelled. Selina felt the wall of heat as she got closer. She felt how it burned her skin and memories came flooding back to her. For a moment, she was frozen to the spot with fear.

"Selina what the _hell_ are you doing?" came the voice behind her. Her face covered in ash and dust, she whirled around and met Jack's shirt front, colliding with his chest. He had changed clothes.

"You're ok!" she sobbed and he pulled her down the stairs, tripping and stumbling as she went.

"I was outside waiting for you, moron!" he yelled in her ear. The flames were spilling out onto the landing, curling their deathly fingers around the upper banisters as though it didn't want them to leave so soon. Stumbling they reached the first floor, but Jack didn't see the figure standing there until it was too late. Tony, incensed, grabbed Jack's shirt and hauled him across the floor.

"I knew you did it!" the Italian boy seethed. "I told you you would be sorry!"

Jack went skidding into the nearest wall, his body hitting it with a sickening thud. To all of their horror, the wall cracked like an egg, the heat from the fire above already weakening the walls. Tony didn't seem to notice. He grabbed Jack once again by his shirt and ploughed his fist straight into his jaw. Selina screamed and tried to pull Tony away, but he pushed her off easily, sending her clambering to the floor.

"Tony what are you doing! _We have to get out of here_!" she screamed. With a grunt Tony punched Jack in the gut, sending him sprawling to the floor on his hands and knees, struggling for breath.

"_It's all his fault Selina!"_ Tony yelled. "If he hadn't of come here....none of this would be happening!"

Jack looked up at her, his eyes watering from pain and exhaustion. Selina was growing hotter by the second, the flames above licking their way down the stairs. She was on her knees, crawling towards Jack, throwing herself in front of him. Tony drew his leg back, his eyes wild and black, preparing to kick the other boy. Instead Selina choked, a scream caught in her throat as Tony accidently aimed his foot, landing squarely in her chest. Face down and winded, Selina gulped for breath, white hot pain making her almost vomit. All she could hear was the roaring noie from the landing above and Tony cursing while he stood over her.

"Get out of here Selina!" he cried, his voice contorted. Jack was on his feet, lunging towards Tony, sending him flying into the wall behind. This time the plaster cracked and fell, the walls like paper but this was only a prelude of what was to come. Jack cried out, as a chunk of wall narrowly missed him by inches. The wall began to crumble and Tony screamed as blocks of rubble began to fall around him.

Selina, still scrambling about on the floor, suddenly found herself, on her feet. Her knees skimmed the floor, as Jack dragged her along the landing with what little strength he had left. The house was crumbling around them. She threw her arm over Jack's shoulder as he half dragged; half carried her down the stairs. They collapsed at the bottom, both exhausted and breathing hard.

"Where's Tony?" she screamed. "We have to go back for him!"

The fire had weakened the structure of the floors above. Like a scene from a disaster film, Selina dodged falling brickwork and concrete as they ran through the house that for many years had been her home. Dust blinded them and it seemed they would never be free of the clawing smoke, until they landed on the porch, both gasping for air.

Ally took Selina by the shoulders, hauling her across the lawn that was still knee deep in snow. Shivering, Selina grabbed the shirt sleeve of the nearest fire-fighter.

"You have to get Tony!" she screamed. "He's still in there!"

"Oh my god!" Ally cried, her voice hoarse from smoke inhalation. "Why was he up there? _Why?_"

Her eyes streaming, Selina choked and spluttered, rubbing her eyes until her vision cleared.

"We can't get in there!" one of the fire-fighters called out. "The building is going to come down!"

Selina's feet sank into the snow but she couldn't feel a thing. She turned and watched the place she'd grown up in fall like a stack of dominos. The window panes shattered, sending fragments of glass down onto the lawn. The fire-fighters urged them to get back but nobody moved. Smoke rose from the building like it wanted to creep up to the sky.

"_Tony...no_!" Selina gasped. She saw Suzie standing only meters behind her, still clutching one of the babies that Selina had pressed into her arms earlier. The girl's face was frozen in horror her mouth open and working, but no sound coming out. Her eyes never left the carcuss of the building. The girl appeared confused, dazed and frozen in grief.

Then the building collapsed. Selina closed her eyes. The lawn was covered in debris as brick work tumbled out towards them, the crouching, grinding noise filling the air.

Tony! He was in there somewhere. He was trapped. Selina let out a sob. Someone was behind her, holding her shoulders tightly. She looked up at Jack, his face sooty, his blonde curls stuck to his forehead with sweat.

_It's my fault_, Selina wanted to cry. _I should have left when I had the chance._

A silver car pulled up on the driveway behind them, just as snow, like droplets of ice began to fall from the sky. Alfred Pennyworth climbed out of the back of the car, his face tight with concern. He too was shocked and open mouthed. Other residents of the homes nearby were gathered on their own lawns, watching the fall of the building as if it were a television show. Ally left the group and ventured over to the older man. It must have been quite a sight to see nineteen children all stood shivering in the snow, in their night clothes.

"Its over," Jack whispered in her ear. Selina shook her damp curls, her face a mess.

"He's gone, Jack. It's my fault he's gone."

"Why don't you listen to me?" he hissed in her ear. "Sometimes people...just get in the way."

Selina closed her eyes and leaned against him. She let herself believe those words. If she didn't have to look at Suzie, she could believe him. Hayley was on her hands and knees in the snow, her body wracked with sobs. Some of the children were huddled together under blankets and some were just simply standing alone, staring up at the ruin that had once been their home. The snow was falling fast, settling in their hair and removing all traces of their footprints. It would be morning soon.

**Let me know what you think! XXX**


	15. Naked

**Hi everyone. Thank you once again to those who have taken the time to review. This one is very much Selina based, not much Jack action I'm afraid. There is also a lack of dialouge in this one but I think it works. Joker/Jack will be in the next one, much, much more I promise! Please review, I love hearing what you have to say!**

Naked

The ice had bled through the thin fabric of her socks, pulled roughly up to her grazed, bloodied knees. Every fibre of her body ached with pain and remorse and the noise her teeth made from clashing together echoed in her ears. It was almost as if her bones were frozen and Selina knew that she would never feel cold like this again. A group of anxious, terrified children were bundled close together on the front lawn of a house that had once been their sanctuary, while its charred carcass coughed up thick black smoke into the night air.

Selina and Suzie sat close to one another, despite all that had happened between them. The small red head shook uncontrollably, the loss of her best friend still too fresh to really sink in properly. Selina huddled closer and folded an arm awkwardly around the girl's thin shoulders. There was so much she wanted to say, but couldn't.

_It was my fault he was in there. _The words were on her lips, but her voice didn't seem to want to obey her commands. Weary and drained, she sagged against the brick wall, ice seeping through the blanket and making her shiver. Jack hovered nearby, sooty and dirty, his sweaty face set with a grim, unfeeling expression.

_He got in the way_. Selina kept repeating the last thing Jack had said to her, what seemed like hours ago. _He got in the way._

Was that really how he saw the world? That people were just things that happened to be there at the same time you were? Was that the way Carmine Falcone had taught him to be?

Selina hoped not. She hoped that Jack could feel under that tough, strange exterior he had built up. She hoped that he didn't see her that way. That she was just _there._ And for now, she would do.

Commotion coming from the remains of the house seemed to wake everyone up. The last of the fire brigade were clearing out. Barefoot and her hair still in a scruffy bun at the back of her head, Ally darted across the lawn, her face ashen and sick with worry. Selina noticed that the older man, dressed in an impeccably neat shirt and tie, under a thick wool coat followed her over to the fireman. Mr. Pennyworth had arrived almost as if on cue. The plan, which Ally, Hayley, Selina and Jack, had concocted only a few hours ago in the white room had come together flawlessly.

Everyone had played their part well. But nobody had planned for this. Nobody had planned for Tony to die in there. Trapped like an animal. Selina scrambled to her, feet, her heart racing as the fireman grew closer to Ally. He took off his hat.

"Have you found him?" Ally cried wildly, her breath coming from her throat in choked gusts.

The fireman gently took Ally's shoulder. "I'm so sorry. It looks like he was trapped under some fallen concrete." He paused to let the news sink in, in his experience most people needed a few moments to catch their breath. "My guys are going to bring him out in a moment....are you sure that you want the other kids around when we do?"

If he sounded abrupt, Selina could tell he didn't mean to. He was a hard man, born and bred in the underside of Gotham, like all of them. To him this was just another day at work.

Ally shook her head frantically, her eyes and nose running. "This is all my fault!" she babbled. "This shouldn't have happened....it's my fault!"

Suddenly, Hayley appeared at her side, prising her away from the scene. She held Ally tightly in her arms and whispered something into her ear. Hayley met Selina's eyes across the lawn. It was a warning look. Terrified Selina stepped a little nearer, folding her arms across her chest.

Mr. Pennyworth was still talking to the fire fighter, his own forehead drawn together in a frown.

"Can you say how the fire started?" the older man was asking and Selina met Jack's cold eyes. She sucked in her breath.

"Well it looks to me like someone started the fire in the upstairs room on the second floor. But we also found that the back window pane was smashed in. All the front windows shattered when the front section of the building crumbled, but the back door was also busted open. Maybe there was a break in? The GCPD are on their way."

Selina turned her head in Jack's direction but he was gazing down at his own feet, slightly sunken in the snow. It was then she noticed the gash up the side of his arm, the thin skin sliced open like he was cotton. She narrowed her eyes at it and then met his glare. Had he gone to the trouble of breaking the window in the kitchen? He was better at this than Selina had ever dreamed.

"Well we can't stay out here much longer waiting for the police!" Mr. Pennyworth was exasperated. "There are nearly twenty children out here and its freezing. Can I ask for your assistance in taking them to my master's home outside of town?"

The fireman nodded reluctantly. "Sure. We just need to make some room. Give us ten minutes?"

Selina watched the older gentlemen cross hurriedly to where Ally was still being held by Hayley.

"You can come home to Wayne Manor," he began, taking each of the women by the shoulders. "I know my mistress wouldn't have wanted you left out in the cold! I have been talking to the chief and he seems to think that there was a break in and the culprit started the fire upstairs..."

Selina turned her head away. How easily he had believed the lies that they had created. She felt almost sickened with guilt. To think it had been her idea from the beginning! But she hadn't wanted this. She had wanted them all safe. She had wanted to protect her home and her friends. And now one of them was gone. Tony wouldn't grow up with them now. He wouldn't swim in the creek and throw stones across the wall at Mrs. Lam's windows. He wouldn't do any of the things they had talked about when they used to sit in their little piece of yard, playing cards.

He was dead and gone. He had been buried by dirt and rubble and scared half to death. He had burned. Selina felt the world spinning and reeled backwards. She hurried to the brick wall, bent double and vomited until she literally couldn't stand. She fell forward into the snow, the ice sending a shock wave through her body, letting it shut down.

When she came to, she was being bumped about. Blinking, she sat up, her head cradled in Ally's lap.

She stared up at her but Ally didn't look down. Her eyes were vacant and unseeing and Selina wondered if she too had shut down. Wearily Selina fell back in her lap, aware that someone was holding her legs. Her eyes aching, she looked down the length of her body and saw Jack sitting there, his own legs stretched out before him, clutching her legs in his arms, keeping her from rolling around. They were in the fire truck and it wasn't equipped for transporting children.

Everyone was huddled together very tightly as there wasn't much room. Selina suddenly needed to move. Her body was stiff from being still for so long. She curled her legs away from Jack and climbed to her feet, squeezing through the other kids to the front cab. Nobody asked her what she was doing, not even Jack. No one cared that much anymore.

One of the drivers cast a look over his shoulder and saw her standing there. He winked.

"Hey cutie," he smiled. "You wanna ride up front?"

Silently, she nodded and another younger fire-fighter hauled her into the cab by her arms. Dawn had reached Gotham, the sky was pink and it glowed on the snowy streets, glistening like something out of a fairy tale. She squeezed herself comfortably between the two men in the cab, liking the warmth they were emitting and she sighed, just content not to speak and stare out of the window.

They seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. Wide open planes stretched out either side of the fire truck that bumped along the long, narrow roads. There were a thicket of snow dusted trees up ahead and she gasped as the truck turned down a road that took them straight into that darkness, the trees almost engulfing them, swallowing them whole.

"Where are we going?" she stammered and the man to her right chuckled.

"To a palace," he said and the other man laughed knowingly.

Selina only had to wonder at their meaning for a few moments. Because all at once the tree lined road seemed to sweep away either side, revealing the most magnificent building she had ever be held. The sight of it literally rendered her speechless but her gasp didn't go unnoticed by the driver.

"Quite a sight, huh cutie?" he nudged her shoulder with his. Selina blinked up at him but then turned her gaze back to the building that was growing closer by the second. To Selina it looked like the house was built with stone, like stone that had been washed and blasted dry from heat. It looked like the shape of an 'H' and it had sturdy turrets that seemed to reach up to the sky. Selina had never seen so many windows. Why would someone need so many windows to look out of? Who would clean them all? The truck pulled onto the gravel drive, crunching slowly to a stop.

Selina had never seen a building that looked like this. Surely it wasn't just the Wayne's who had lived here? She was suddenly struck by an image of Mrs. Wayne wandering the gardens of her manor. Had she ever gotten lost here? Selina thought that only royalty lived in palaces.

The morning was drawing closer as one by one, each child was lifted out of the fire truck, staring dazed and bewildered up at their new residence. The only ones, who seemed unaffected, were Suzie and Jack. Seeing Suzie's sallow face and red rimmed eyes brought her back to earth with a sickening bump. Another car pulled up in the drive behind them and Mr. Pennyworth hurried out of it, slamming the door behind him. He rushed to the front door, unlocking it breathlessly. Looking over his shoulder, he smiled at them, albeit sadly.

"Children," he said. "Welcome to Wayne Manor."

////

"You all need baths!" the older man stated. "And then plenty of sleep!"

They were standing in the hall way of the great house. Although _hallway_, wasn't a word that seemed to fit the space they were standing in. It was bigger than the whole floor space of Humberside and it echoed when you spoke. The floor was glossy and hard, black and white squiggled in the pattern that Selina guessed was marble. It stretched forth up an expansive staircase that curled around up to the upper floors. Each wall was hung with expensive and old looking works of art. A large tapestry hung from the staircase. It was like a museum. Selina glanced at Hayley and could tell the house was having the same effect on her, her blue eyes trying to devour every inch of the experience. The others just looked pale and confused and Jack, Selina noted, appeared to be his usual disinterested self.

"Come now, don't be frightened!" Mr. Pennyworth helped the younger ones up the steps. He turned in the direction of Hayley, who once again, appeared to be the only coherent one out of the two women.

"This is going to take some organising!" he chuckled. "I don't think we've ever had this many children in the house before, not even for young master Wayne's birthday parties!"

Those words suddenly struck Selina cold. Young Master Wayne. Bruce Wayne, the sad, smaller boy who she had met briefly at the funeral. How would he feel having all these children invading his home? Selina let her eyes dart around all the various corners they passed, wondering if he was going to make an appearance. It seemed that every wall, every surface was covered in art work or hung with some exotic looking ornament of some kind.

Selina found they were in a darkened wood panelled corridor and Mr. Pennyworth was busy opening up all the doors that lead off of it.

"There are nine bedrooms back here and four bathrooms," he was explaining to both women. "I can hunt around for some old clothes but I'm afraid there won't be much..."

"Mr. Pennyworth we can't thank you enough for your help tonight!" Hayley was saying. "We can take it from here. We can get most of the children straight in bed, but others like Selina, Suzie and Jack were in the building for longer and will probably need a good wash!"

Selina was suddenly filled with a terrible dread. Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach and she inched her way through the younger ones. There was no way she was bathing with anyone else!

"You can help yourselves to the bathroom and take whatever rooms you need," he was replying kindly as Selina stepped closer. The older man leaned forward and patted her dishevelled hair.

"My, look at you young lady!" he smiled. "You look like a chimney sweep."

Ally who had been leaning against the wood panelling glanced down at Selina, catching her stricken expression.

"Oh," Ally's eyes widened. "Oh...Mr. Pennyworth...can I have a quick word?"

He nodded a puzzled look on his face as Ally led him away from the group. Hayley folded her arms and stared down at Selina crossly.

"_Honestly _Selina!" she scolded her. "I know you're shy about your body but really....it's _hardly _the time. Can't you just get over it this once?"

Selina glared up at her, suddenly grinding her teeth together harder than was necessary. She hated when they labelled her as 'shy'. Shy wasn't the word she would use. When your body was twisted and deformed, being 'shy' didn't describe the way she felt about herself. Selina didn't look in mirrors when she was naked. She wasn't shy. She was disgusted.

"No," the word came out quieter than she intended but it seemed to have the desired effect. Hayley leaned away from her reflexively. "I can't get _over _it."

Luckily Mr. Pennyworth and Ally returned and Selina noticed he was smiling sadly at her. Her stomach went over.

"If you'll follow me Selina, we'll go to the west wing," he held out his hand and she took it gingerly. His palm was warm against hers. She threw a glance back over her shoulder at Jack who was watching with interest as she was led away from the group.

She followed the older man back out into the sweeping hallway, their footsteps echoing on the marble flooring. Then they were in another long corridor also panelled with dark wood. The floor was carpeted and soft beneath her thinly soled sneakers. Mr. Pennyworth inclined his head towards her.

"I apologise if it's a little colder down here miss," he sounded genuinely sorry. "It's been empty for a while. I'll run you a bath and then see what we can do about getting you some more appropriate clothing."

Selina nodded numbly as he stopped in front of a door and then turned the key that was poking out of the lock. The door creaked open and he put his hand in and switched on a light. It lit up brilliantly and he stepped inside and pushed the door open wider for her. That was when Selina thought she had died and gone to heaven.

That was the only way to describe the room she was standing in. Heaven. Every surface was pure, polished marble. The bath that stood in the centre of the room was on clawed feet. There was a stone carving beneath the bath. It was a mermaid holding what looked like a harp. It was a as if Triton himself lived in this room. On the right wall hung a gold gilded mirror that swept from floor to ceiling, giving the room the feeling of going on forever.

He hurried over to the bath, folding his jacket over a nearby cream chaise lounge and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He turned on the taps and all at once water cascaded out of a carved stone fish that leaned over the tub.

"Right then," he said, letting the water jet into the tub. "I'll let you have some privacy. Just make sure it's not too hot when you get in. I'll leave some clothes outside the door for you, but you...take your time. You've been through enough tonight."

When he had gone, Selina hurried to the edge of the tub, amazed at the speed the water was filling the great porcelain space. She had never taken a bath before. Washing had been a cold, shivery experience at Humberside, scrambling to get dry quickly and back into her clothes before someone knocked on the door. Selina noticed a row of coloured bottles sitting neatly along the shelf by the sink in the corner. Randomly she picked one, unscrewing the lid and having a sniff.

Curiously, she poured the liquid under the running water and watched in amazement as huge bubbles rose up to greet her. When the tub was nearly full, she leaned across and switched off the jets. With shaky fingers she unbuttoned her jeans and let them slip to the floor. She sat on her bottom and pulled off her damp shoes and socks. Normally she would have tossed them into a corner but decided that for some reason she needed to be tidy here. Folding up her jeans, she placed them on the cream chair.

Lastly she slipped off the night gown, her head sticking in the tight hole, where she buttoned it up to her throat. She folded it too and placed it on top of her jeans. That was when she turned and saw her reflection. A sob caught in her throat but it didn't quite make it past her lips. She had never seen the entire length of her body before.

Standing there in her underwear, Selina fought down a wave of misery and disgust. Her hair was matted and thick with dirt, as was her face. She looked a complete wreck. But it wasn't her face she was concerned with. With trembling hands she lifted her cotton vest over her head and let it slip to the floor by her bare feet.

_So that's what you really look like_. The words popped into her head and then vanished again, leaving her feeling raw inside. Her body looked like it was plastered with the swirly patterns that were in the marble flooring downstairs, only it was skin coloured. The skin was taught, twisting as it stretched over her thin bones. The only part of her left unmarred was her legs. The smooth baby skin of her calves, almost taunted her. _This is what you would have looked like._

Holding her breath, Selina backed away from the mirror and hurried to the side of the tub. Without hesitating she climbed in. At first it stung, but that was because her skin was so frozen from being outdoors. But when she adjusted to the temperature, she sighed, feeling for the first time in her life, contented and light. It was as if the water washed away all of her worries. That for the time she was in here, she could just float away and forget all that had happened. That all could wait until later. She ducked her head under the water and let the bubbles run down her face, giggling as they tickled.

She soaped up her arms and washed away the soot, as if removing the evidence of her crimes. As she surfaced once more she caught sight of the fluffy white dressing gowns that were hung on the back of the door, she hadn't noticed them when she had first come in. Open mouthed she gasped at the lettering that was embroidered over the breast on the right side of each gown.

One read, M.W and the T.W. Thomas and Martha Wayne. Selina stiffened, suddenly chilled despite the heat of the water swirling around her. This was _their _bathroom! Selina suddenly felt dizzy and gripped the side of the tub with her fingers. There were so many bathrooms in this house, so many places he could have brought her, but_ she_ was taking a bath, washing her grimy body, in Mrs. Wayne's bathroom. The thought horrified and intrigued her at the same time. At once she was amazed and curious at her surroundings, imagining Mrs. Wayne getting ready for her day, every day in this very room, applying her makeup and washing her hair.

But Selina also felt so completely unworthy to even be in here. She had made dirty rings around the rim of the tub. The water was a little blackened from the amount of soot that she had scrubbed off of her body. Miserably Selina hauled herself out onto the tiles, water running off of her in cascades. She pulled the plug and watched the bubbled ebb slowly away. Frantically she dried herself with the towel, wrapping it around her entire form, scurrying across the floor, on slippery feet towards the door. She cracked it open and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the pile of neatly folded clothing placed just outside.

Greedily she snatched them inside, not hesitating to pause at her reflection again before she wriggled inside them. He had left her what looked like a faded pair of boy's jeans. She buttoned them up quickly, her ankles sticking quite a way out of the hems. They were a little too small but they fitted and they were wonderfully clean and pressed. She unfolded what looked like a man's shirt. It had a funny little symbol embroidered onto the breast pocket, of what looked like a little man on horseback. It smelled so clean and fresh and felt soft, unlike the clean laundry at Humberside that was bleached and then left to hang dry, so that it was like paper in the summer and like a dried leaf in the winter.

Idly she looked around the room, wondering when Mr. Pennyworth was going to come back for her. It was then she noticed the door to the side of the tub, which again she hadn't seen on arrival, too mesmerised by her surroundings to care. She went to the door and turned the handle, letting the door fall away from her leaving her standing in a black void to another room. She felt along the wall with her hand and found the switch. When the light flicked on she gasped.

As she stepped across the threshold onto the thick cream carpet, she knew that she was in their bedroom. The walls were a soft dusky pink, dotted with small, faded pink roses. It was old fashioned but it was elegant and she could imagine that this was where a woman like Mrs. Wayne came to relax. There was a beautiful reading chair set against a floor to ceiling window, which looked out onto the magnificent grounds. The oak four-poster bed was piled high with beautiful silk scatter cushions. It was a bed that a princess could have slept in. Selina realised that a princess had slept in here.

She was suddenly struck rigid in the centre of the room. A great knot of sadness filled her throat and she wanted to cry. It seemed like such a terrible waste of life. She thought about how they had slept every night together in this bed and how they had probably talked about their days, read and laughed together. They might have discussed important things. She may have even told him all about Humberside and what the children were doing there. And now they were gone.

There was a dressing table in the centre of the room and Selina inched towards it, temporarily forgetting her sadness. Her eyes were drawn to the large wooden box on the table. Curiosity taking over as it always did, she reached for the box and lifted the lid, surprised when it opened. Didn't anyone ever lock anything in this place? Scooting closer, Selina pulled herself onto the dressing table stool, leaning her elbows on the polished wood, her eyes widening at what she saw in the box.

It was a jewellery box and right in the middle of it, as if waiting for her, was the necklace Mrs. Wayne had been wearing the day she had last visited Humberside. Licking her lips, Selina picked it up gently. Up close it was a vivid green gem, perhaps a diamond that had been fashioned into an opal shape, but when you looked at it from other angles, it appeared to be more like a heart shape. It was encased in a gold setting that curled over the top of the heart as if it was going to pierce it through its centre.

Selina twirled it through her fingers, admiring at how it seemed to change shape and catch the light. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Then she did something so stupid that for years to come it would make her cringe when she thought of it. She put it around her neck and did up the catch. She tossed back her wet hair and found that she liked the way it looked around her neck. She liked the way it sat on her, gently pressed into the indentation between her clavicle bone.

Her hands burning with curiosity she began riffling through the draws of the dresser finding hair pins and clips, perfume and makeup. She opened up a bottle of red polish and painted it on her nails crudely, making a mess of her fingers. She found what looked like a black pencil and drew it across her eye line, smudging it carelessly into the creases around her eyes. She pinned up her hair until it was just like a birds nest on top of her head.

For a few blissful moments she forgot who she was and why she was here. For a few moments she was just a kid playing with makeup and perfume, having fun. Then she found a red lipstick. Smiling at herself in the mirror, she drew it across her bottom lip and then mashed her mouth together. She took a tissue from the dresser and tried to sort out the mess.

She looked....like a girl. Grimly she realised that much practice was needed but for the moment she merely admired her crude handy work. She undid the first couple of buttons of the shirt and stood back in the mirror, once again admiring the necklace.

Selina was so mesmerised, so entranced with her improved reflection that she didn't hear the light footsteps behind her, until it was painfully too late. Too late to take back what she had done. Her skin scorched with humiliation, she whirled around to greet her intruder.

"What are you _doing _with my mom's things?" came the young and bewildered question that she was too stunned to answer. Her throat dry, she tried to swallow.

Selina was staring into the shocked and angry face, of Bruce Wayne.


	16. Aftermath

**Hi all! This is it.** **I'm finally making the break from child to adult. I know there are some who hate time jumps but it has to happen sometime. This is the last chapter before we find out how Selina progresses to Cat woman and Jack into the Joker. I hope you all enjoy it. Just so you know, it will say end of volume one at the end of this chapter and then the next stage will be volume two. We will find out what happens to little Selina in a short series of flash backs, lost style, going forward. If you have any thoughts or suggestions of how I can improve or how I can progress please let me know. **

**Just want to have a huge shout out to everyone who has recently added me to their favourites or reviewed. Special thanks to Freelancer Seal, Reality Assassin, Monstrosity, Vayluh Arwen, Beckoning Disaster, ****Ra'iira the fiend****,****Sammy-mackie, emeraldalyce and anyone else I haven't mentioned!! You guys are great and thanks for your support.**

Aftermath

Selina stared dumbfounded at the boy standing directly in front of her. Despite her horror and complete embarrassment, she noticed that he was dressed in a dark blue silk gown, his pale freckled face, pink from sleep and his hair slightly messy. He was a year older than her, but he looked so much smaller.

"What are you _doing i_n here?" he said tightly. His voice was strained and frustrated.

Selina parted her lips to speak but found she had no idea how would explain this. Shame coursed through her. What must she look like!

"I...I'm sorry..." she mumbled her face so hot that she had to turn away.

"Take off her necklace!" the boy cried in disbelief. "You can't just come in here....who are you anyway? Why are you in my house?"

He fired the questions so rapidly that Selina couldn't think clearly. With trembling fingers she unhooked the catch at the back of her neck, but to her dismay the necklace slipped through her hands and fell to the carpet.

"Don't...you could break it!" Bruce scolded her, ducking to retrieve the fallen item. Selina wanted to melt into the floor. She caught sight of herself in the mirror and hurriedly wiped the lipstick off with the back of her hand, but all it did was slide it across her face. She looked like a clown from a horror movie.

"I'm sorry...I should go!" she tried to duck past him, but he side stepped her and blocked her path. His gaze was intent, not letting her out of his sight for a moment.

"Do you know how much that necklace is worth?" Bruce shot at her and she blinked, confused. "_It's worth millions of dollars!"_

It was then he sounded much older than his ten years. Selina had never given a thought to its worth. She just thought it looked pretty.

"I said I'm sorry!" she begged, desperate to be out of this room and this surreal, garish nightmare.

"I asked you who you were," he sounded indignant as if he were used to being answered straight away. Selina guessed that he was much smarter than she was. She had never even been to school but she knew that some rich kids actually lived in some of their schools.

"_Why are you in my house_?" he repeated again, this time through gritted teeth. His frustration at her was clear. She balled her hands into fists and wished that he would just stop looking at her _that _way. Like she was a little street urchin, scruffy and dirty faced who had wandered in from the cold.

"Which question would you like her to answer first?" came a voice from the door to the side of them. Jack was standing in the bathroom door, still covered in dirt and soot from the evenings exploits. His head was cocked to one side, a curious smile on his face.

"J-Jack....it's alright!" Selina suddenly felt terrified at the sudden intrusion. Jack looked so surreal and out of place in a room like this, like he didn't belong. But then, Selina guessed that she didn't either. She so wanted to turn her face away so that he wouldn't see the garish mess she had made of it. It was bad enough that Bruce Wayne was staring at her as though she were a freak of nature. She couldn't deal with Jack as well.

"I don't understand what you're all doing in my house!" his small voice was clouded with frustrated tears and Selina was nervous that he actually might burst.

"Look its ok!" Selina tried to calm him down, holding out her hands. "We are from Humberside Children's home. We had a fire and Mr. Pennyworth brought us here..."

Bruce lifted his head, his lips pressed tightly together. "But that doesn't explain what you are doing with my mom's things?"

His face was practically beat red. Selina stepped back and Jack choked back a giggle, but it erupted into an uncontrollable laugh. At that the smaller boy cast him a furious look and Selina groaned inwardly.

"Are you laughing?" he stormed. "What's so funny? You think it's _funny _to steal people's things!"

Selina threw Jack a warning look but he ignored her. He let his hand fall away from his mouth, stepping further into the room.

"No," he said calmly. "No....I don_'t_. And she wasn't stealing, just using. There's a _difference_."

Bruce stared up at Jack who towered a foot above him. Jack's shoulders were square and strong, making Bruce appear so much frailer than he was. Bruce seemed intrigued by the stranger's face. It was then Selina realised with a sickening gulp, that Bruce was staring at Jack's scars. Selina could practically follow Bruce's eyes, tracing the vivid map of scaring that was Jack's flawed appearance. She could see Jack's shoulders stiffening.

"What....what's wrong with your face?" Bruce whispered, his dark brows knitted together in a frown.

Jack closed the gap between them. "I don't know. What's wrong with _yours?_"

There was a yelp of pain and Selina gasped. Jack had landed Bruce with a right hook, catching the younger boy squarely in the nose. Blood splattered on to the impeccably cream, unmarked carpet. Selina caught Jack's arm and twisted him away.

"You just punched Bruce Wayne!" she hissed at him angrily. She lowered herself to her knees and tried to help Bruce to his feet but he wriggled away.

"Just go away!" he snarled and Selina bit her lip. Oh this was so bad. Why did she have to come here?

"He didn't mean to do that!" she spluttered. "This isn't what you think..."

Suddenly she was at a loss for words. She didn't know why she cared so much that Bruce Wayne didn't think she was just a no hoper, idiot kid from the narrows. She didn't want him to think she was a petty thief. She had so loved his mother.

There was a noise coming from the corridor outside. It was the sound of soft footsteps coming slowly towards them, growing stronger every moment. Selina's eyes widened and she shot Jack a frightened look.

"Selina...Jack?" they recognised Ally's voice instantly. "Are you up here?"

They recognised the annoyed tone in Ally's normally pleasant voice. Selina realised that she must have been gone for ages. Why else would Jack have ventured down here to look for her? Selina stared at Bruce imploringly, who was busy wiping the trickle of blood from his nose.

"I think you broke my nose!" he said into his hands and Selina dashed to the dresser and threw the box of tissues at him. The blood had dripped down onto his clean gown. Bruce stared up furiously at Jack, who was twitching uncomfortably at the sound of Ally coming further down the corridor. Bruce bundled some tissues together and began to mop at his nose. He let out a long sigh and gestured with his eyes towards the bathroom door.

Selina smiled at him gratefully, on her feet in a second. Grabbing Jack's hand in hers she tugged him back into the bathroom and carefully closed the door after her. It was still steamy in the room and the floor still damp from the bathwater, Selina skidded over it, narrowly missing a potted plant in glass vase as she flicked off the light switch. The room was plunged into darkness. She felt Jack crouch down beside her in the darkness, uncomfortably close. They were hunched near the door to the bedroom and Selina strained her ears to hear what was going on inside.

"Oh hello...you must be Bruce!" she heard Ally's surprised voice coming from inside the bedroom. The nurse must have finally ventured into the bedroom. Selina hoped that Bruce had managed to clean up the mess on his face.

"I'm sorry to burst in on you....but I'm looking for two children about your age?" Ally was pressing him and Selina felt her heart sink. Why would Bruce Wayne cover for them? She still couldn't believe that Jack had hit him.

"Oh I saw them earlier," Bruce replied finally and Selina's heart sank. "The girl...was getting bathed up here but they left a while ago....you just missed them."

Selina exhaled audibly and beside her Jack snorted in the darkness. She nudged his ribs harder than she needed to, but she was still furious with him.

"I can't believe you hit him!" she hissed in his ear. "I was the one playing with all his mom's stuff and you hit _him_! _It's his house_!"

"Oh...thank you," Ally said at last, her voice filled with disbelief. "Well if you see them again....hey, are you ok? You're nose...?"

Selina gasped but Bruce covered it marvellously.

"It's just a nose bleed. I get them all the time!" he insisted but there was the sound of footsteps moving around the room.

"There's blood on the carpet!" Ally cried. "Shall I help you clean it up?"

"No!" Bruce said quickly. "Alfred will help me later."

"Alfred? Oh, Mr. Pennyworth! Well, OK, if you're sure? Thank you anyway."

There was sound of footsteps fading away down the corridor, Ally was finally leaving. Selina let out a sigh and climbed stiffly to her feet. She bumped into Jack in the darkness and he grunted, but what happened next, she would never forget for years to come. He held her elbows so she couldn't move. Her breathing shallow, as she felt his hand move in the darkness. He brought his thumb to her mouth, wiping it across the smeared red mess that were her lips.

Selina wriggled away, her skin tingling in a way that she wasn't used to, her heart reacting in a way that made her cheeks glow. She blinked suddenly as the lights went on in the room. Bruce was in the doorway, his hand on the switch, staring at their strange embrace.

Selina backed away from Jack, lost for words and Bruce, red faced tried to look in another direction. Jack was staring down at his thumb, the red lipstick staining the pad, sinking into the lines that were imprinted on his flesh.

"I...she's gone," Bruce said, his expression suddenly switching from embarrassed to annoyed once again. "I'm not covering for you again. I suggest you don't come back up here."

"Thank you," Selina called after him but he was out of the door before he heard her. She didn't know why he had covered for them. They certainly hadn't done anything to deserve his help.

With that, he slammed the door to his parent's bedroom, the noise making her flinch. Selina and Jack were left in the steamy bathroom. Selina looked up at him, her strange friend and wanted to shake him. Finally as if pulled out of his trance, he met her eyes and laughed at the annoyed expression on her face.

"Don't you _dare_ laugh at me!" she hissed at him. "How could you hit him like that?"

"He annoyed me," Jack shrugged as though that were a good enough explanation. "I didn't like the way he was staring at me."

"Staring at _you!_" she shook her head in disbelief. "Have you seen _you _lately? You probably scared him half to death. He didn't even know we were in his house....let alone in his parent's _bedroom!_"

Jack folded his arms across his chest, cocking his head to one side. "I wasn't the one _poking _around where I wasn't invited. What were you doing with all that stuff anyway?"

Selina spluttered, her face flaming with embarrassment. "I was just looking at something....I wasn't doing anything wrong!"

"Not according to Bruce Wayne!" Jack argued with that teasing tone in his voice. "By the way...have you seen _you _lately?"

He grabbed her by the shoulders, forcibly dragging her to the mirror and planting her in front of it. Closing her eyes, knowing that the sight that awaited her was ridiculous and ugly, she tried to turn her head away. With a wince of pain, Jack forced her head back to the mirror, his breath in her ear as she was forced to face her reflection.

"Open your eyes, match girl!" he hissed at her and reluctantly she obeyed, her own eyes filling with embarrassed tears. What she saw in the mirror made her gag. Her hair was a dried up, mass of blonde curls on top of her head. Her eyes were black rimmed from the pencil and to make matters worse she had wiped a huge red smear across her cheeks. Those moments in front of the mirror in Mrs. Wayne's bedroom had been so private, so real and she hadn't wanted anyone to witness her playing out her most girlish fantasies. Now it was all ruined.

Tears tracked down her face, taking black liner with it and she wailed into her hands, knowing she was making herself look ten times worse. For a few moments back there, she had just been a girl, playing with makeup. Playing with her mom's makeup. Hurt, angry tears bubbled up in her throat and she wept openly into her palms. She didn't notice Jack pulling the pins out of her hair, until the still slightly damp tresses hung loosely around her face.

She didn't really know why she was crying so much. Maybe she was crying for Tony, or for the home that she had helped burn to the ground? Maybe she was crying for Jonah, locked away in a cold cell for a crime that he hadn't committed? Maybe she was crying for Bruce Wayne and the perpetual sadness that seemed to grace his eyes, wandering alone in a big empty house, with no one but himself to talk to.

But she knew she was really crying for herself. She was mourning all that she had lost and would never have. She was crying for her own Mother. Finally, when it felt like her very soul had dried up; she wiped her wet face and stared at the ruined reflection before her. Jack was still standing closely behind her, his own breathing deep and slow. He seemed to be watching her every movement. He stared down at the red stain on his thumb again and then did something very odd.

He traced his thumb over his own mouth, drawing it over the jagged, ruined flesh that was once smooth, unblemished cheeks. The red stain looked stark against the cool paleness of his skin, it made his eyes appear dark and sunken. He had drawn on a smile and for some reason, it made Selina shiver deep inside her soul.

When he had finished, he nudged her aside, staring intently at his own garish reflection. He looked like something out of a freaky circus. The effect was bizarre and shocking and Selina immediately went to the sink to fetch a wash cloth, not wanting to see him like that anymore.

She forced him into the cream chair and carefully dabbed at the red paint, until it was nothing more than a strawberry coloured stain on his skin, if they were lucky it would be gone soon. When she went to reach for the towel to dry his face, he seized her wrist, making her cry out in pain. He forced her to her knees in front of him and when she was down, he grabbed her by the back of her head, forcing her to look up into his face.

"Jack...you're _hurting _me!" she cried, desperate to wriggle away but he held her painfully still. His breathing raspy, he leaned closer, so that all she could see was the black glint in the very back of his eyes.

"Do you...want to know...how I got these scars?" he whispered and she shivered.

"Jack, let me go!" she cried, sweat beginning to trickle down her back. Why was he behaving like this?

"_Do you want to know_? You look at them all the time....everybody does. You must be a little curious?"

Using her legs, she kicked against the chair leg, forcing her back so hard that he had no choice but to let go. She fell back against the marble floor, breathing hard. He stared at her curiously from the chair, his head leaning to one side, that strange grin beginning in the corners of his mouth.

"What's wrong with you?" she hauled herself to her feet. He watched her get up and dust off her bottom, straightening her shirt with trembling hands.

He clapped his palms together. "I saw the way that boy looked at me. My face...frightened him. I could tell what he was thinking. Does it frighten you too?"

Selina shook her head wilfully. "No, Jack," she answered honestly. "I've never been afraid of your face. Never."

He threw her a disbelieving smile. "And you don't want to know how I got them?"

Selina held out her hand to him, thinking it was time to end this crazy day. It was time to get out of this bathroom and get back to some form of normality, whatever that was going to be for them now. He stared at her hand for a long time before taking it in his own. He stood, matching her height and for a while they just looked at one another.

He raised his eyebrow, teasing. "You sure you don't want to know? It's a great story."

She shook her head. "No Jack. I really don't want to know. Not right now, anyway."

The air was cooler and fresh in the darkened corridor; they walked side by side until they reached the galleried landing area. There were voices rising up from below, coming from the great hallway. Selina slowed her pace but Jack kept going, walking forward quickly. He looked over his shoulder and tossed her a smile. That was the last time she would ever see him do that.

For in those precious seconds, she heard another man's voice and it stopped her dead in her tracks. She opened her mouth to call out but it was too late. Three adults were coming up the stairs and there was nowhere to run. Selina's blood ran ice cold as she locked eyes with someone she had hoped not to see for a long, long time.

Jim Gordon paused on the top step when he saw them and he turned to the woman who was walking beside him. She was tall, pale and dark haired and the sight of her made Selina's heart drop to the pit of her stomach.

"That's him, Officer," Rene Falcone said, her voice like stone cracking. "He's dangerous and you should get him away from the other children!"

Selina's eyes widened. What on earth was happening? What was she doing here? The other adult was Ally, standing arms crossed at the top of the stairs, her face ashen.

"Stop right where you are son!" Gordon said tightly and Jack stopped immediately in his tracks. Selina ran to his side, her eyes filling with desperate tears. She grabbed onto Jack's arm, her fingers entwining in the fabric of his shirt, but Gordon gently eased her away.

"No, please!" she wailed, her heart literally breaking in two. "Why are you doing this?"

Gordon wrestled Jack's arms behind his back and there was a clicking sound of hand cuffs being pushed into place.

"I'm arresting you for the murder of Jason Trent and his father Gerald Trent, not to mention the murder of the other people living in those caravans. You have the right to remain silent but anything you do say may be used in a court of law against you!"

No! This wasn't happening! Selina's head was whirling. She felt drained and sick, swaying on her feet. Selina looked to Ally who was hovering nearby. Surely she would tell him to stop. She would speak up for Jack and tell Gordon it had all been a mistake. Selina stared at the other nurse imploringly and it was then that Ally finally stepped forward, her lips trembling.

"Officer...I think he may have had something to do with the fire at Humberside," her voice quavering with every inch of her deceit, the older woman avoided Selina's wild glare. Gordon nodded gravely and motioned to the other officer who had now joined them on the landing.

"Officer Davies, would you take her downstairs and get a statement? Right, young man, you're coming with us."

Jack tossed back his head, meeting Selina's eyes briefly. He looked so afraid but he was trying not to show it. She threw her arms around his neck, sobbing into his dirty shirt collar, temporarily throwing Gordon off balance. Then a cold pair of hands caught her shoulders in a steel grip, yanking her away. Rene had her in a vice grip and Selina wriggled for all she was worth. Hot tears streaked down her face and she couldn't even see straight. With a last attempt, she lashed out a kicked Rene in the shins, earning a satisfying yelp from the older woman. Selina tore down the stairs after Gordon and Jack, where they were leading him calmly to the car outside.

Mr. Pennyworth and Bruce were watching from the hallway, distracted as Selina dashed across the hall and crashed through the front door. She caught Bruce's eyes momentarily as she raced past and to her surprise, he actually looked a little sorry. But Selina couldn't bear to see his pity right now.

"No...Jack!" she wailed. Was this how Ally had felt the day Gordon had visited them all at Humberside? A roar was building inside Selina's throat and she knew any moment she would start screaming. Ally was suddenly beside her on the gravel and it took all of Selina's will not to attack her. She had betrayed them. She had seen the chance to get Jonah back and she had fed Jack to the wolves. He was going away and she may never see him again.

Gordon was nearly at the car and another officer was holding the door open. Before they put Jack inside, the boy turned and looked at her. For what seemed like endless moments they stared at one another and Selina thought she had stopped breathing. Was it possible to die from pure grief? Her heart strained against her lungs and she wanted to run to him.

Jack winked at her then and threw her that half grin that she had come to love.

"Smile for me," he said. Selina blinked at him, a sob escaping her throat. This couldn't be the end . It couldn't be goodbye.

"I'm going to find you!" she cried. "I _promise_!"

Then she was on her knees on the gravel, sobbing for all she was worth. Gordon looked away, his face uncomfortable as he pushed Jack gently inside the car. She couldn't bear to look up as the door slammed shut. She couldn't bear to look as the car drove away. Nobody touched her for a long time; they just let her howl out her pain. One by one they all went inside, until she was alone on the driveway, her body aching and her mind lost for now.

She felt betrayed, humiliated, crying here in the gravel like a stupid, mindless child. It was right at that moment that she decided that she was leaving Wayne Manor as soon as she had the right opportunity. She couldn't stay with these people anymore. Her life had been nothing but lies and betrayal.

Finally someone came and lifted her to her feet. It was Mr. Pennyworth; she smelled his nice cologne almost instantly. He held her tightly and stroked her hair, while she cried into the neat, starched fabric of his shirt.

"You'll get him back, miss," he soothed, not believing his own words. "You'll find a way."

But Selina didn't believe him and she was right to. She would not see Jack again, not for many years to come. And by the time that day did arrive, there was nothing left of the boy she remembered.

**End of Volume One**


	17. Coming Home

**Hi everyone. Here is the second part of my little fiction and I hope you all enjoy it. As always please let me know how you feel!**

**I do not own any DC Comic Character and have no rights to TDK.**

Volume Two

Coming Home

"Get inside quick!" a young, dark haired female called from the doorway of the newly purchased Art Gallery. She was wearing thick rimmed, black glasses and giggling as she waved frantically for the other blonde woman to get inside. The blonde heaved the last crate through the door, nearly skidding back on her heels as it bumped over the threshold. She fell back against the dark haired girl, laughing hysterically, just as above them, the grey Gotham sky opened and the first bursts of rain crashed down onto the pavement.

Selina Kyle removed her own glasses and wiped off the spots of rainwater on the hem of her grey shift dress.

"That was a close one!" she grinned at Holly, who was trying to push the crate inside the foyer of their new premises. Selina bumped her aside. "Let me do it, spaghetti arms!"

"Hey!" Holly pretended to be offended but she laughed anyway. The pair of them pushed the crate inside up against two others that had also been delivered that very morning.

Holly pushed a strand of curly dark hair out of the way of her spectacles. "Tell me it's the last one!"

Selina smiled at her sheepishly. "We have another delivery this afternoon. Sorry!" she said. "But at least I'm paying you well?"

"Hmm," Holly was busy trying to wrench off the top of the crate. "This one is from that guy in Rome. You want me to put them with the others?"

Selina pushed back her blonde curls that had escaped the chignon at the back of her neck. Hands on hips she surveyed the mass of artwork that had been delivered. As usual, she had overestimated her stock levels. Where was she going to hang all this work? At this rate, if they didn't make a killing this opening weekend, she would have to store most of it in her apartment above the gallery.

"Uh, no," she thought aloud, biting her lip. "I just want the pieces from Berlin out front and the rest in the store room. We have a lot to do!"

From the store room, Holly groaned. "This is a mess!"

Selina rolled her eyes, unbuttoning the cuffs of her crisp white shirt. She rolled up the sleeves, taking time to let her eyes graze over the skin there. Swallowing she didn't let them stray there for too long. It had taken five painful skin grafts to get her arms looking smooth and unmarked. The doctors told her that it was a one hundred percent improvement. Selina, however could still see them. It was too bad that she didn't have the money yet to fix the rest of her. It wouldn't be long though.

"That's why I'm paying _you!_" she tossed the remark back over her shoulder. She began to lift the large, heavy paintings out of the crate. Her muscles ached by the time she was done unloading and she flexed her arms in front of her. So far so good. She loved her little location in Gotham's new town. The gallery was tiny but it was quaint, taking up precious space between a jewellers and a bookstore in a stone built row of buildings just opposite the park.

It had taken her two years to source this place. She wasn't about to come back to Gotham to live in just any old place. Her modern, two bedroom apartment was as far away from her former life in the narrows as she could possibly afford.

Selina began to pick tape and bubble wrap off the pieces with her short red fingernails. One by one she revealed all of her precious finds from Berlin.

Her stomach lurched unexpectedly and she shook off the shiver that had crossed over her shoulders. Breathing deeply, she stared out at the rain and the pedestrians dashing by with newspapers covering their heads. She closed her eyes and shook off the temporary feeling of panic. Berlin was in her past now. As were Rome and Cambridge. It was all in her past. A warm hand touched her shoulder and she blinked rapidly, staring at the smaller female at her side.

Holly's dark eyebrows were drawn together in a frown. "Thinking about Elliot again?"

Selina exhaled. "I was trying not to but thanks for bringing him up."

Her sarcasm rolled off Holly like the rain dripping down the large pane glass window that was their shop front. They were old friends after all. Nobody knew Selina like Holly Truman.

"You know the way you speak to me sometimes....you just don't deserve me!" Holly shrugged and bustled past her old friend, making sure she bumped her as she went. Holly glanced back at her friend, who was pretending to be busy checking off a packing note, not thinking about her good for nothing, psychotic ex boyfriend.

It was too bad Selina had a habit of picking the bad ones. She was extremely attractive. But she was also cold and it had taken Holly several attempts at friendship to break down her icy exterior. She also had a bad habit of 'phasing out', like she wasn't really there. It annoyed Holly at first, because it made Selina appear indifferent and uninterested. It was many years before Holly realised that that simply wasn't the case. And there had been many times now, where Holly was glad she had persevered. Selina was worth the effort.

"You know I think we're missing that piece we bought in London last year!" Selina said dismay in her voice. "Can you check the store room again? That one was worth a fortune!"

Holly nodded although she was nearly positive she had seen the unusual piece in transit. But it was like Selina to obsess over details and she had learned not to argue.

"Sure. You want a coffee while I'm back there?" Holly offered and Selina smiled gratefully.

"I knew there was a reason I hired you!" she joked as Holly shuffled past, her heels clicking their way down to the store room.

Biting her lip, Selina worriedly checked the list again, her breathing shallow. It was all there. She knew it was all fine. She shook her shoulders just at the moment that the shop door opened startling her out her daydream.

Frowning, Selina eyed the woman standing dripping wet in the foyer. She saw the water coming off her beige jacket and trickling down onto the newly polished floor. Irritated, Selina folded her arms and walked towards her, her own expensive high heels clicking as she walked.

Just then the woman looked up. She had a plain but interesting face, very pretty and soft. She had dark brown eyes to match her wavy dark hair and Selina felt a small burst of recognition. At once she realised that she had seen this woman on the news and trying to banish her irritation, she pulled her red lips into a friendly smile.

"Hello," she said erasing all frostiness from her voice. "We aren't open yet I'm afraid."

The woman did a double take at Selina's appearance. Selina was used to that. Most other women didn't warm to her that easily. She was striking and she knew it, but she realised that years of hardship had made her face cold, something dark and unfeeling in her green eyes. Selina was amazed Holly had stuck by her this long. The woman's face softened into a smile.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she laughed. "I read in the paper that a new gallery was open and I thought I'd take a look. My friend should be moving back into his old house soon, it's being rebuilt and I was kind of shopping for him."

Selina's mouth twitched into a smile. "He likes art?"

The woman grinned. "Well his place was full of it....dusty, old stuff. I thought he could do with something new..."

Selina had realised that this woman, who was carrying a brief case was a potential customer. She kept hearing Holly's jibes in her head about what a terrible sales person she was and how she shouldn't be let loose on the unsuspecting public. This was all true but if there was something she did posses it was charm. Granted it usually worked on the opposite sex.

"Most of these pieces are from Italy and Berlin," Selina began shakily, suddenly ashamed at her lack of organisation. Everything was stacked untidily against each other. "I'm so sorry that they aren't out properly for you to see,"

The lady shrugged just as Holly made her appearance from the store room, carrying two mugs of steamy hot coffee.

"It's fine, really!" she insisted. "I can come back when you are more organised?"

"No!" Holly said quickly, shoving the cups on the dark wood desk and trotting over to greet her. "You take a look around! We're fine...as long as you don't mind us pottering around you?"

The woman laughed and put her brief case on the floor by her feet. "Well...Ok. If you don't mind?"

"Of course we don't!" Holly smiled at her through gritted teeth, grabbing the sleeve of Selina's shirt and dragging her away. Luckily the lady didn't seem to notice their bizarre behaviour. When they were out of ear shot, Holly threw Selina an exasperated look.

"Selina you moron!" she scolded her. "Don't you know who that is?"

Selina glanced sideways at the woman, who was now poking around the covered up pieces of art, her face grim in concentrated as she shopped for her male friend.

"I think she's on TV," Selina said at last, rolling her eyes at her friend. "But please, enlighten me?"

"That is _Rachel Dawes_. She's a district attorney and has been on the news quite a bit recently. Her boyfriend is the one who just had all those mob criminals arrested and tried at the same time. It was on the news!" Holly folded her arms, casually eyeing their celebrity shopper from the safety of the store room door.

"_Oh,_" Selina's eyes widened, her mouth stretching into a smile. "Oh."

Holly took her friend's shoulder firmly. "Now, sweetie, I know it's difficult for you, but why don't you go and try to sell her something? Or maybe you could even make friends?"

Selina threw her an ice cold stare. "That could be pushing it."

They both laughed at that and Selina prepared to relax her facial features, into a neutral, friendly smile. There was no way Selina Kyle could not seduce this woman and make her like her. Selina prided herself on her acting ability. There was nobody immune if she turned on her charm.

"Just don't let her leave without buying _something!_" Holly hissed and Selina waved her away with her hand, casually strolling over to where Rachel Dawes was on her hands and knees, examining a rare piece that she had obtained in Verona.

"How are you getting on?" Selina knelt beside her and Rachel jumped a little. They both laughed.

"Sorry I have a bad habit of creeping up on people," Selina apologised, flashing a row of white teeth. "You seen anything you think your friend might like?"

Rachel stood as did Selina, the blonde woman towering a foot above her. Selina hadn't stopped growing until she had turned sixteen. She was a lengthy five foot eleven and slender to match it.

Rachel gritted her teeth. "I've seen lots of things he would love. But I'm afraid that my bank balance wouldn't feel the same. How much is that one?"

She pointed to the piece she had been examining and Selina folded her arms. The artist had been a maniac and a drug addict. But the woman had also been a genius. The painting was done on a stretch canvas and was of the iconic castle vechico at night-time in Verona. But it had been done with pastels and watercolours and seemed to change in different lights.

Selina raised a hand to her lips. "Well why don't you tell me what you think its worth?"

Rachel made a face but laughed anyway. "Well I'm no art expert. But I think I read somewhere that the artist died last year?"

Selina's eyes widened in surprise. There was more to this young woman than a famous boyfriend and a briefcase after all.

"Yes, she is. She was a drug addict. Marianne Augustine...it was really tragic actually. So what's your guess?"

Rachel folded her arms, mirroring Selina's posture. "It's got to be over a thousand. I don't know why I come in these places really...I can never afford anything. And Bruce wouldn't think anything of another painting stuck on his wall!"

At that Selina rocked slightly on her heels. Bruce. _Bruce Wayne_? She let the comment roll off of her as easily as Holly shook off her insults. She tried not to let the interest show in her face.

"Forget the painting!" Selina waved her hand in the air. "I'm new in town and you can't go anywhere...I mean it's lashing it down out there! Would you like a coffee?"

Rachel blinked, a little taken back by the woman's sudden change in stance. But she smiled all the same.

"Thanks. That would be great actually."

Selina turned on her heels and led Rachel out the back towards the store room, calling out for Holly to pour another coffee. Rachel got comfortable on a crate, when only moments later the dark haired, bespectacled girl appeared with another, pretty rose printed mug.

"So...you're new here?" Rachel probed as Selina perched on a nearby crate, stretching out her long legs. Selina's legs were her best feature in her opinion. They were the only part of her body that weren't marred with the scarring of her childhood.

"Well I was born here," Selina began honestly. There was no point in telling lies about her birth. She was Gotham City born and raised. "But I moved when I was nearly ten years old. We travelled a lot."

Rachel brought the steaming cup to her lips. "You came back? To Gotham?"

Selina laughed. "I know. I'm a glutton for punishment. But I kind of want to settle you know? Get to know my home again." She shifted uncomfortably on the crate. She didn't offer Rachel back here to talk about herself, but the softer woman was surprisingly easy to relate to.

"So, what do you do?" Selina asked broadly.

"I'm a DA," Rachel answered. "I work with Harvey Dent."

Selina grinned. "Oh I know him. Nice looking guy, huh? You must have trouble concentrating at work!"

At that Rachel chuckled and Selina marvelled at her ability to extract information out of people. This woman must have been craving female company, she caved so easily. The poor woman was surrounded by crooks and low lives all day, it was no wonder she accepted a coffee invitation so willingly. Selina almost felt sorry for her and felt a sudden surge of gratitude towards Holly. Selina had grown up without female friends. She had given up on them. Especially after what happened to Suzie.

Shuddering, Selina focused her attention back to Rachel. "So, you two are dating? Lucky girl!"

Rachel beamed. "I never said we were dating!"

"Well I can spot a woman in love when I see one," Selina replied. "You must be a great support to him."

Rachel shrugged. "More like a worry at times. We just had this big case going on and now we have some new,_ character_ on the scene. Its tiring work!" She seemed suddenly very sad. "Not to mention that half of Gotham is gunning for his blood."

Selina leaned forward, letting her sentence hang in the void between them. At once she felt a rush of empathy towards this stranger. She was at a loss of what to say.

"Maybe you could do with a night off?" she said at last, giving her a pleasant smile. At that Rachel rolled her eyes.

"I have a night out. It's tonight actually. But it will be more like work!"

Selina frowned. "Are you getting your hair done?"

Rachel blinked. "Uh. Yes."

"Are you wearing an expensive dress?"

She laughed. "As expensive as I can go!"

"Then that sounds like a night out to me!" Selina confirmed. "Have a little fun. Let down your hair!"

Rachel rubbed her arms, a sudden chill in the air. "I'll give it a go. I used the date the guy who is hosting the party. It's a fundraiser for Harvey. The guy is Bruce Wayne...the friend I mentioned?"

Rachel seemed to be waiting for the name drop to make its impact, but Selina kept her face neutral, secretly thinking how she had fallen on her feet. This girl used to date Bruce Wayne!

"Oh, the guy who had a house full of art? You know some interesting people! I've heard he's a player. Must have been a tough one to date?"

Rachel nodded, sipping the last of her coffee. "Interesting isn't the word! Look I'd better go. I feel like I've kept you from your work...thanks so much for the coffee."

Selina slid off the crate and slapped her hand against her thighs. "Any time!"

Rachel held out her hand and Selina took it, realising too late that she had not rolled down her shirt sleeves, her bare arm revealing the secrets of her scarred flesh. Panic rose in Selina's chest, but to her surprise, Rachel didn't seem to notice.

"You know....this is crazy...but would you like to come?"

Selina blinked at her. "Where? To your fundraiser?"

In the front of the gallery, Holly made a noise that sounded like a yelp and Selina groaned inwardly, knowing that she had probably been listening the whole time.

"I mean you've just moved back here and you're trying to get your business off the ground. You could make lots of contacts?" Rachel was busy trying to convince her while Selina was busy pretending that she was deliberating the invite.

"That's so nice of you!" Selina marvelled. "Are you sure I won't stick out like a sore thumb? I'm not Gotham's elite you know!"

Rachel laughed. "Are you kidding? Have you seen _you _lately? You'll fit right in!"

_Have you seen you lately? _A shudder ran up her spine but she shook it off. Someone had said that to her before. That had come out of nowhere.

Selina walked Rachel to the front of the gallery and waved her goodbye, promising to meet her at the party. The party at Bruce Wayne's penthouse. Selina walked back to the store room on numb legs, where Holly was practically skipping up and down.

"You did it!" she squealed as Selina leaned, lazily against the crate. "You are truly a master of your craft!"

Selina smiled, not feeling as triumphant as she knew she ought to be. "It's certainly out of the blue. You might even say fate. Bruce Wayne....now there's a guy I haven't seen for a long time."

Holly took the crate that Rachel had been sitting on. "Do you think he'll recognise you?"

Selina met her eyes, they were startling green and a little too anxious. "I hope not. That would put pay to everything we've planned."

They spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking crates and fishing through boxes. Holly was trying to make something of their store room. She had fixed up a small television, though Selina didn't know why she actually needed one in an office space.

"There are more pressing things to be doing than putting in a TV!" Selina called, on her hands and knees, her hands covered in dust as she removed packaging. One by one, all the art work was revealed. Lifting them carefully, she tried to display them as she would like. But to hang them properly would require her assistant.

"We are opening at the weekend, need I remind you!" Selina said through gritted teeth.

"Give me a break!" Holly whined, the sound of the television crackling to life filtering out into the echoing gallery. Selina shrugged and carried on, her mind buzzing from the chance meeting earlier today.

She marvelled at how a sweet faced, very nice girl like Rachel Dawes could have dated a playboy like Bruce Wayne. He had certainly changed since the last time she had seen him at Wayne Manor. She remembered him as a small, freckly faced boy. Now he was absurdly handsome and still as rich. It made her stomach clench at the thought of seeing him. A small part of her hoping that maybe he would recognise her. Now that would be interesting.

"Selina...you should come and watch this," Holly's voice was tight, floating out into the gallery.

Selina rolled her eyes. "I'm busy. Just turn it up or something?"

Preoccupied, Selina got a wash cloth and began zooming around the skirting boards, removing all traces of dust and dirty from the musty crates. Inside the store room, Holly was absorbed into whatever it was that she was watching and her lack of motivation irritated her. Clapping off her hands, Selina stretched out her long legs. Then her blood ran cold.

"_Look at me!"_

Jumping back on her heels, Selina whirled in the direction of the store room. Her mouth dry, she walked on wooden legs. That voice. It chilled her right down to her soul. What the hell was Holly watching?

For some reason she felt like she was walking through tar, but whatever it was playing on the television, it kept up its pace.

"_You see this is how crazy Batman has made Gotham...."_ the voice continued. It was like an assault to the senses. Everything that was wrong in the world and terrifying was in that man's voice. It wasn't like any man she had ever heard.

"_You want order in Gotham then Batman should take off his mask and turn himself in. Oh...and every day he doesn't...people will die. Starting tonight.....I'm a man of my word."_

By the time Selina reached the store room door, the camera on the screen was swirling back and forth and all that could be heard was a shrill, high pitched laugh and a man crying. The screen suddenly cut back to the news studio, where the pale faced reporters had been watching with grim fascination. Selina stared blankly at Holly who was still sitting transfixed on the packing crate.

"Hols..."Selina reached out her hand and touched her friend's shoulder. "Who _was _that?"

"I don't know," she swallowed. "But it was awful. That poor guy."

Selina rubbed her arms, suddenly freezing. She shook off the memory of that laugh. It sounded disturbingly familiar and she didn't want to dwell on it any longer.

"Look it's nearly five and I should get ready for this event thing that I've managed to get roped into," Selina began turning off lights in the building. Outside it was surprisingly dark, but then it was Gotham. The city that seemed permanently shrouded by darkness. "Why don't you get going?"

Holly looked pale, suddenly frightened. "Selina. I don't know if it's a good idea that you go out. Not with that weirdo out there?"

Selina took her friend's arm, propelling her towards the door. "This is Gotham. It has its fair share of wackos, believe me. I'll be fine. Don't you think I can handle myself?"

Reluctantly, Holly nodded. She grabbed her jacket by the desk and headed for the door. Before she stepped out into the darkening night afternoon, she looked at her friend over her shoulder.

"Selina....the chest is under your bed upstairs," she said at last and Selina exhaled softly, giving her a small smile.

After locking the gallery, Selina hurried upstairs to her apartment. Ignoring the blinking answering machine, she headed straight for her bedroom and got down on her hands and knees, peering under the large oak framed bed. Spying her target, she inched her arm under and yanked the chest out so that it touched her knees. It was an ornate wood carved chest that she had obtained when she was training in Thailand. She lifted the lid and sighed at the objects that awaited her inside. She pulled out the Taiwanese fighting dagger, its razor edge flat and cool against the palm of her hand. It was ornate and beautifully carved out of Nisshin, Japanese Steel.

How was it possible that she had travelled all around the world and yet she was going to be fighting her battles here? The knife, she hoped that she wouldn't need tonight, but in any case it would slip snugly into the sheath that she would wear around her thigh.

Selina hadn't come home to start a war. She hadn't come home to fight crime. In fact she hadn't come back to fight at all. She had come home to make her mark on Gotham. To show them that there was more out there than a guy dressed up in a rubber bat costume. Selina Kyle was here to take what she wanted.

And if some people got caught up in the crossfire, then that was too bad. As Selina had learned long ago, sometimes people just got in the way.

**A/N Just so you are aware I'm not going to be integrating this whole story with that of the dark knight film. It was just this part and the next chapter. I feel that would be too complicated and it would also take away from the story that I want to tell. Also I dont want to mess with the original story of the dark knight! Hope you like the adult Selina. Please let me know your thoughts. xx**


	18. Send in the Clowns

**Hi all thanks for all the reviews and suggestions! I'm glad you are liking this new section so far. This chapter was a little difficult to write. As I mentioned in a previous author's note, this is the only time I will be interlinking Selina into TDK story line and I wanted it to be right. The hardest bit was getting the timing of the party to flow. You will have to let me know what you think. I think it works. Selina and The Joker will meet, so feeling a bit nervous about this one. Also thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to review and add me to their favorites recently! And also there have been some anonymous reviews and thanks to you guys as well!**

**Also a quick thing, I do apologise about any spelling errors you may come across! It seems that no matter how many times I check and re check, something slips through. I'm working on it! xxx**

Send in the Clowns

Selina inched the zip into place, exhaling as her body relaxed into the tight woven fabric of her gown. She stood back, inches from the mirror and admired her perfectly applied makeup. She wondered at times if it was too mask like. The dark, exotic painted eyes and her red lips made her appear a little frozen. Shrugging she applied more red to the bottom lip, sighing as she pushed a curl back into place behind her ear.

Selina always managed to dress carefully. Her dress was a black high neck, clinging around her throat and shoulders. It flowed seamlessly to the ground and the only detail was a provocative slash that ran all the way up past her knee to the middle of her thigh. The sleeves finished in a point by the fingers. Nobody ever questioned her attire. They were normally too busy staring at her face. Happy with her outfit, she slipped on a pair of vintage designer heels, her red polish showing through the peep toe. Outside it still was raining constantly and she ducked under an umbrella, flinging her arms in the air wildly for a cab to stop.

Selina never usually had to wait long for a cab. The drive into the newest, most lavish part of Gotham's new town took only ten minutes, but they got stuck in traffic and her back began to stiffen with irritation. Bruce Wayne's party was something that was going to be talked about for weeks to come and she knew she was lucky to even get on the guest list. Still, Selina supposed she would rather be home right now. It wasn't time for her yet.

But she could hear Holly's voice in her head, urging her to go. No matter what happened it was still good business sense. Most of Gotham's elite would be here tonight and she could score some serious contacts. Finally the cab pulled up at the apartment building and she paid the driver, ignoring the look he gave her when she snatched back her change.

Selina took the elevator, which seemed to take forever and she was surprised at the sudden onset of nerves that were building in her tummy. Was it seeing Bruce again? After nearly nineteen years of wondering about him, nineteen years of hearing about his exploits in the various papers she'd picked up all over the world, she was going to be face to face with him again.

Selina closed her eyes as the elevator stopped two floors below the one she wanted. She let the doors open and close, surprised when nobody got in. Annoyed, she pressed the button and door shut, continuing its journey upward. Selina had tried not to think about that fateful day in Mrs. Wayne's bedroom. But with being here again, the past was making a bad habit of flashing back to her.

There was music playing as she stepped out of the elevator. The noise of people laughing and mingling suddenly put her at ease. She was standing in an enormous ballroom, simply and elegantly decorated. Rachel was correct. Selina did appear as those she belonged here. Her dress screamed designer and her jewellery was expensive and well chosen, not too gaudy and not too plain. Her perfume was rich and sensual and if there was one thing she did well, it was turn heads. Her thoughts unexpectedly turned to Elliot. This had been a game of theirs, long ago, but that had been before, when she had been young and trusting. The game had been simple and fun. Selina would roam the crowd, making mental notes of the party guests. She would latch on to the richest and most naive sugar daddy in the room. And Elliot would be watching.

Selina cringed inwardly, thinking of the amount of times, they had played that game. Sometimes the game would go too far. Sometimes people got hurt. But they always got away, normally with wallets, car keys or bank account details of some sort. It had been an addiction that Selina had forced herself to break. But Elliot always managed to reel her back into the game. Selina half smiled, wondering where he was now and if he had managed to lure any other innocent young things into his game.

Her green eyes searched out the room, desperate to find Rachel, a common alliance to talk to, anyone to make her feel less on show than she did now. She wished that she had a glass of something, anything to make her feel less naked. She smiled when people approached her, but she remained aloof. Selina didn't do well in large crowds. Her breathing deepened and she felt the first onsets of panic creeping its way up her throat.

"Excuse me Miss?" said a voice just behind her. "Would you like a drink?"

Selina turned abruptly and the words nearly tumbled out of her mouth. Luckily she swallowed them back down in a gulp.

_Mr. Pennyworth! Holy crap!_ She thought, almost laughing out loud. _I thought he must be dead by now!_

Nineteen years and he hadn't changed much! Selina realised that to a child, an adult of his age must appear ancient. Backing away slightly, she wondered if he recognised her. His eyes were certainly twinkling, but then she supposed he had that cheery disposition. Smiling broadly, she swiped a glass of champagne from the tray he was carrying.

"Thank you," she said and he beamed at her.

"Are you here alone Miss?" he probed and she tilted her head, smiling softly.

"Yes, I was invited by Rachel Dawes...but I've yet to find her in this crowd!"

He nodded. "I think you'll find her by the drinks table," he laughed knowingly. "Protecting Mr. Dent!"

Selina laughed at the idea of Harvey Dent needing protecting of any sort. But then, maybe this wasn't his crowd either? Selina's dress made a satisfying swishing noise as she walked, and she spied Rachel in the corner, standing by an enormous floor to ceiling window, casually sipping from her glass. Rachel's eyes brightened as she looked up and saw Selina inching towards her. Selina did a double take, noticing the sharp look of regret pass over Rachel's features.

That was something else Selina had become used to and her heart plummeted, thinking that Rachel was annoyed at herself for her impulsive invite earlier today. Selina was good with men but she was an expert at women. And she could read the inferiority all over Rachel's face. Selina kept Rachel's eye contact, deliberately not looking at the handsome man at her side. Rachel looked stunning in her vintage dress, her dark hair swept beautifully up to the side of her neck. Selina made a mental note.

"Selina," Rachel could barely disguise the reluctance in her voice. "You came."

Selina flashed a smile. "You invited me."

Rachel nodded. "Yes. I...this is my....this is Harvey Dent."

Rachel turned to the soft faced, sandy haired man at her side and Selina finally acknowledged him. She took his warm hand in hers and shook it firmly.

"Pleased to meet you," she said brightly and he smiled back. His smile was friendly but indifferent and Selina hoped Rachel realised that. This man didn't seem to have eyes for anyone else.

"Where did you two meet?" he asked, feigning interest but Selina could tell he was monumentally distracted. Selina realised he must be incredibly nervous and he looked like he was waiting for someone to jump on him any second.

"Its funny actually..."Rachel relaxed into the conversation. "We met at Selina's gallery this afternoon. Selina is new in town and I thought tonight would be great for her to meet some prospective clients?"

Selina groaned inwardly, wishing that Rachel hadn't made that sound like a business transaction. She hated it of people thought she was touting for clients.

"Well I'm sure we will be buying something of yours soon," Harvey tried to sound interested.

"Harvey...relax please!" Rachel shook her head. "I'm so sorry Selina. This is the first time we've done something like this and it's all new to him. I think Harvey thinks he has to perform."

"You know these people and I don't," he said, smiling sheepishly. "I can't help it if I don't feel at home with the trust fund brigade."

Selina pulled a face and laughed. As a waiter passed, she swiped another two glasses of champagne and handed them to the couple. They both looked at each other and grinned.

"The best thing for nerves!" Selina told them. "And Harvey....the one thing you're missing is that these people aren't here to give you their approval. They are hoping you'll give them yours!"

Rachel smiled broadly, patting Harvey's shoulder blade. He nodded and then seemed to spot someone he recognised.

"Excuse me ladies," he apologised, darting away, but not before planting a kiss on Rachel's cheek. "Duty calls."

Rachel waited until he was out of earshot before turning to Selina.

"Thanks. That was incredibly insightful," she said, all traces of regret on her face gone.

"Well I'm a very insightful person," Selina answered, hoping that Rachel had stopped looking at her like a potential rival for Harvey Dent's attention. It wasn't his attention she was hoping for.

"I apologise if I seem a bit off," Rachel explained suddenly, turning to face Selina. She sipped her champagne and folded her arms. "There is a lot happening at the moment and...well you can probably tell I'm not that comfortable here either?"

Selina raised her eyebrows and shrugged casually. "I had noticed that the host has yet to make his appearance. Just relax. You're here for Harvey."

It was at that moment that a low rumbling noise filled the building. It got louder, almost to the point of deafening. Selina turned to look at Rachel and saw that she appeared annoyed, almost disappointed.

There was a helicopter landing on the balcony outside on a landing pad, secretly concealed. Selina watched eagerly as Bruce Wayne made his entrance, accompanied by two very attractive looking women.

Rachel folded her arms defensively, her face tight and pained. She had moved away into the crowd and Selina backed away to a more suitable distance. She raised her eyebrows approvingly. He certainly had grown up. His face was more chiseled, more angular than she remembered, all the roundness and boyishness of youth gone. Under his immaculate tuxedo, he appeared toned and muscled and Selina grinned devilishly.

An involuntary shiver passing over her, she scanned the crowd, wondering at how many other women were having inappropriate thoughts right now. She didn't want to meet him now, she suddenly decided. Now was not the time. She just wanted to find out everything about him. If what she had planned was going to succeed then she needed to be prepared.

Bruce began to make a short speech for Harvey, who appeared to be twitching uncomfortably. Selina seized the moment to slip away. Nobody was looking at her as she swished out of the room and into a brightly lit corridor. She found herself in a massive dining room. Everything was stark black and white, the epitome of minimalist living. It was a complete contrast to the grand museum that had been Bruce's former home at Wayne Manor. It was Wayne Manor that she had fallen for all those years ago, the memory of pulling though its gates for the first time, still gave her chills.

There was a piece of art work above the fireplace and she suddenly remembered it from the hallway at Wayne Manor. She had read about the attack there two years ago. At least something had been salvaged from the fire.

"Are you alright Miss?" Selina stiffened at the clipped English accent and she plastered on her best fake smile.

"Oh," she breathed. "I'm so sorry. I was distracted on the way back from the bathroom. I couldn't help admiring this piece of art. Its Italian isn't it?"

The older butler settled his tray and joined her in front of the fire place.

"Yes it is," he answered, his hands behind his back, gazing up at the painting. "My Master....Thomas Wayne brought this back from his honeymoon in Tuscany. It was one of the only things we managed to restore from the fire we had at the old house!"

Selina turned to him, glad that she had succeeded in her distraction. "I can see you've taken care of it and the work is very well done. I'll have to take the name of the person who did it. I own a gallery down town you see. I just moved here."

It was then the older man turned to her and something like recognition shone in his blue eyes.

"You...I hope you don't mind me saying this. But, I feel like I've seen you somewhere before."

Selina's skin prickled. "I get that a lot."

He gazed at her for the longest time. She could almost see his mind working over her face.

"If you once dated Master Bruce and I've forgotten you then I apologise," he shrugged at last and Selina grinned.

"No, we've never met," she lied easily. "I was born in Gotham but we moved away when I was a child."

"Did you go to school in Gotham?" he probed, still clinging on to his recognition and Selina began to feel warm around her collar.

"I was home schooled. My parents had some different ideas about my upbringing and we traveled the world quite a bit, never really staying put too long. I really must have one of those faces!"

He nodded in agreement, finally happy to let the subject drop. "Well...if you'll excuse me. I have to keep Master Bruce's guests plied with alcohol. Feel free to have a look around."

Selina threw him a dashing smile. "Thank you, I will. I'm not very good at mingling!"

He smiled, retrieving his tray and made his way back out to the corridor and Selina let forth a gust of relief. Just have a look around! Did these people keep anything locked away? She laughed to herself, wandering back out into the corridor, curious as to where the next room would take her. She smiled as she happened upon a bedroom, pushing the door lightly with her fingertips. The bed was draped in luxurious black satin. Every technical gadget on the market was in this room, from a plasma screen television to the remote controlled blinds at the large windows.

Bruce Wayne had expensive taste and Selina supposed that was why she was so interested in him. Suddenly she shook, as a deafening noise tore through the peace that was the Wayne Fundraiser. She backed up to the wall in fright and shock. That had been a gunshot. Gasping Selina backed up the corridor, her heart thudding wildly in her chest.

Carefully edging her way up the corridor she found herself in a kitchen, almost encompassed by stainless steel. Breathing erratically, she backed down behind one of the kitchen cabinets and flipped her cell phone out of her purse. People were crying out to one another in hushed tones in the ballroom and then it seemed to go silent.

She dialled Holly's speed dial and waited, sweat pouring down her back.

"Holly I need you!" she hissed down the phone as the irritable voice answered at the other end of the line. "Something is happening here!"

"I've been trying to call you all night!" Holly shrieked at the other end of the phone. "Commissioner Loeb is dead and so is a county judge. They are saying on the news that Harvey Dent has been targeted next!"

Selina's brow furrowed. She peeked a look over the counter work tops, her reflection shining brilliantly in the surface. It seemed that whoever the attackers were they were content with the ballroom for now. Her legs ached from squatting in one position.

"Who is it? Who is targeting him?" Selina asked breathlessly, trying to keep her voice low.

"The Joker!"

"The _who_?"

"You haven't got time to find out. You need to get out of there!" Holly sounded as though she were moving around her apartment. "I'll come and get you!"

Selina flicked the cell phone shut and scrambled awkwardly to her feet. She scolded herself mentally. All her years of careful training and she was hiding out in a kitchen. Selina was skilled and resourceful and she had to believe that she would get out of here.

She edged back into the corridor, keeping her back poised and flat to the wall. She suspected that there must be an emergency set of stairs around here somewhere. Her breathing silent she crept on light feet, inching her way towards the ballroom. Suddenly a pair of hands grabbed her, yanking her off her feet, quite literally. One gloved, black hand covered her mouth as she was tugged backwards into the bedroom she had been nosing around only moments earlier.

Selina whirled about to face her attacker, her free hand reaching for her knife but to her dismay, he pinned her arm to the wall with such force that she cried out a muffled yelp into his hand. The sight of him stunned her to silence. He was enormous. Much bigger than he appeared in the newspapers.

Her face scorching with embarrassment for being caught off guard she stared up at him, into those black ringed eyes. The mask he was wearing was like stone, making him appear grim faced. She found herself staring at his square jaw and strong mouth. He seemed to be regarding her strangely, but there was no real feeling in his expression. And that was terrifying. The Batman had been a source of much intrigue for Selina and she hadn't expected to meet him in person so soon.

"You were going the wrong way," he growled at her, his face inches from her own and she couldn't suppress a shiver. "There's an escape route, third door to your left. _Leave now_!"

Weakly, she nodded, furious at being thrown off balance. But she also wasn't going to stick around either. Now was not the time for heroics. She bounded down the corridor, feeling that something was going on in the ballroom. She could hear shouting and screaming. The sound of bodies hitting the floor. Her hand reached for the door handle and she heard a pane of glass explode behind her.

Survival was all that mattered to Selina. Without a thought for Harvey or Rachel, she pushed through the door and found herself in an empty stair well. She flicked off her high shoes and grabbed them off the ground, hitching up her long gown as she took the stairs two at a time.

Breathless and exhausted she reached the bottom and burst through the door into the apartment building's smart, executive foyer. Her mind on overdrive and her heart at near bursting point she didn't see the gunman get out of the elevator, seconds before she flung out of the door and rounded the corner. She was too late to stop herself, she was moving too fast. That was when she collided with a tall, lanky body. All she saw was a rush of purple and green and then she hit her head so hard, she yelped.

A great gust of air whooshed through his yellowed teeth. His coat went flying around him, arms and legs flying in the air as he fell backwards, landing awkwardly with a thud. Dazed, Selina scrambled to her feet, rubbing her head from where it had banged his chest.

The man sprawled at her feet was staring up at her, dumbfounded. She gasped, staring at the other gunmen, in clown masks, climbing out of the elevator and staring in strange wonder at the scene in front of them.

Selina stared down at him. He had horrible, green hair that poked out of his head at peculiar angles. His face was smeared in thick white greasepaint. A garish red grin was streaked across his mouth, curling up almost to his cheek bones. He narrowed his eyes at her, tilting his head to one side. He ran a tongue over the scarlett lips.

"Ughh. You really got me!" he shook his head, still half dazed from their collision. His _voice._ Selina's heart banged in her chest.

_Oh, my god. Oh, my god. This isn't happening!_

Selina backed away, her throat dry. She tried to swallow but nothing happened. It couldn't be him. It couldn't. But that voice. His face. She recognised the scarring that was now startling obvious beneath that awful greasepaint. My god, what had he done to himself?

"Boss we gotta move!" one of the clowns was yelling but the odd, painted stranger still looked up at her, his acidic eyes flashing with an urgent recognition.

"Say....don't I _know _you?" he said. Selina reacted swiftly. She brought up her knee so quickly he had no time to roll away. With a sickening thud, her foot connected with his jaw, knocking his bottom row of teeth against his top, his head flicking back and hitting the tiled floor. She heard him grunt in pain but she was gone before anyone thought to react. The noise of shots being fired soared after her. One of the glass doors shattered inches from her. Selina slipped to her knees, crawling through the lobby of the building.

Moments later she was breathing fresh air and running barefoot down the cold wet pavement. The rain was coming down in sheets and it was seconds before her hair was plastered to her scalp and her dress was clinging to her like skin. She didn't stop until she saw Holly's red estate inching through the heavy night time traffic. Without pausing, Selina flung the door open and collapsed in the passenger seat, breathing erratically.

Holly was gaping at her. She didn't wait for long before putting the car in gear and swinging it in the road, doing a crazy U turn. They were speeding back towards the gallery in moments.

"Are you _alright_?" Holly breathed. "What the hell happened up there?"

Exhausted, Selina leaned back against the headrest, her mind still reeling from her chance encounter and the bump on her head growing by the second. It throbbed and she touched it gently with her fingertips, earning a sharp hiss through her teeth. It was her first night out in Gotham and she was already injured!

"The plan is off," Selina said dully, closing her eyes, wishing the pain would ebb away.

"Off? Why?"

"Because it's not the time!" Selina snapped, her jaw clenched. A dull, throbbing pain began at her temples. She winced, trying to think back over those last few moments. In that moment Selina had been struck cold. She had come back to Gotham for many reasons, and _he_ hadn't been one of them.

She hadn't thought about him for years. And now he was here.

"Selina...do you want to talk about it?" Holly was pressing. Her eyes were narrowed with concern. It began to rain heavily as they pulled up outside the gallery. "Selina..."

"No!" Selina snapped too forcefully. She regretted her outburst instantly. Breathing hard she leaned forward, letting her shoulders slump. "I'm sorry. But I can't talk about it right now."

Holly nodded grimly, not pressing the issue any further, no matter how curious she felt. It wasn't often that she saw Selina really rattled. Nothing much seemed to phase her.

"So," she confirmed. "The plan is off. Tonight was a total bust."

"Off for _now,_" Selina corrected her. "And it wasn't a bust. I learned that now, is _really _not the time. There are bigger things about to happen in Gotham and I don't want to get involved in that right now."

Holly pulled a face. "You mean the Joker?"

Selina threw her a confused look. "If you mean the wacko in the clown makeup, then yes. I have a feeling that he won't be around for too long though, hopefully the Bat will take care of that."

"He's pretty dangerous Selina," Holly spoke her worst thoughts out loud. "The things I saw on the news tonight...he's not one to be messed with!"

"That's why the plan is off for now," Selina repeated. "We can lay low while the Bat takes care of him. We have already made a good contact in Rachel Dawes. And I was chatting to Bruce Wayne's old Butler tonight...I can't believe he's still around!"

Holly smiled. "And what off the handsome prince of Gotham. Did you introduce yourself?"

Selina blushed. "No. I scarpered out of the way...which as it turns out was the best thing I could have done. Plus I ran into the Bat!"

Holly made a noise of approval. "Quite a night. Aren't you glad you went?"

Selina chuckled despite the lump forming above her eyebrow. She was used to Holly's sarcasm.

"So...what was he like?" Holly probed and Selina rolled her eyes. "You've been going on about Batman since he appeared last year."

"I wasn't expecting to see him up close...not that close anyway. I don't know...a guy dressed up like a bat has got to have some deep routed issues!" her voice was serious but Holly still laughed. She switched on the wipers, the rain outside the car coming down in a torrent.

"Guys in black rubber...guys dressed up as clowns," Holly mused. "This town is full of characters that's for sure. Wait to they get a load of you!"

Selina slipped her shoes back onto her wet feet, shivering slightly. "Thank you, as _usual._ Now get home. I don't want you out with this painted creep roaming the city."

Holly offered to come up to her apartment but Selina refused, feeling the need to be alone. Once locked inside she waltzed through into her bedroom, picking up her clothes that she had left on the floor from earlier this evening. She glanced at the clock and groaned. It wasn't even midnight. Some party. Hooking her foot up on the dressing table chair she slipped off the sheath that was wound around the top of her thigh, prising out the dagger tucked inside.

Feeling chilly, she changed into a silk robe and went to her living room, her eyes straying momentarily over the amount of cardboard boxes yet to be unpacked. She flicked on her plasma and flopped onto the white leather sofa. The attack at the party was all over the news. Selina bit her lip as they flashed up a black and white photo of the Joker, taken from CCTV footage. Selina had never spoken of her time at Humberside to Holly. She had never wanted to recount her life there, the memories too hard to even recall. The way Selina saw it, that life was over and she had moved on. She did not want to dwell on the people she once knew and the way they had betrayed her.

_He_ was the most grim memory of all. He had been the nearest thing she had ever had to a best friend during that traumatic time of her life. The day he'd been taken away, the child she had been thought that nothing would come close to the pain she had felt. Oh, she had been wrong. Years passing by had lessened the heartbreak, new pain taking its place. But he was never really out of her mind.

It was him alright. She recognised the slight hunch in the shoulders, the tilt of the head. Selina rubbed her arms for warmth, hoping that her retaliation had distracted him long enough to forget that she had ever been in that lobby at all. Jack was all grown up and making quite a new name for himself around town. Selina's stomach lurched as she thought about the last time they had seen one another outside Wayne Manor. The memory brought back a sharp burst of panic and she closed her eyes, not realising that she was gripping the remote control so tightly that her knuckles were white.

She was so changed from that innocent, street wise little girl that he used to know. Selina wondered if he had thought about her much over the years, the way she had thought about him. She wondered if he hated her for breaking her promise to come and find him. Selina wished that she could tell him that she did try, she tried so many times. But after that fateful day, Jack had simply vanished from the world she knew.

Feeling exhausted, Selina switched off the television and wandered her apartment, turning off the lights as she went. Finally she slipped into bed, wrapping the covers up to her chin. After a few moments of laying there wide eyed, she flung her legs out of the bed and darted for the dresser, where she had left her dagger. Clutching it tightly she slipped back under the sheets and pushed the dagger under her pillow.

Selina wasn't a child anymore and she wasn't about to underestimate the boy she once knew. She remembered all too well of what he was capable of. She didn't expect that it would be tonight, or even tomorrow but she knew it may not be long, before her old friend came looking for her.


	19. The Circus

**Hello all and thank you so much for the great reviews I have received on these last couple of chapters! It really means a lot that you are all still enjoying this. Thank you to all the anonymous reviewers as well. Hope you enjoy this one. There is another coming soon, promise.**

**The Circus**

Darkness and chaos swept through Gotham city like a rampaging forest fire. It seemed that a day didn't go by without something happening in the city to make breaking news. Selina was grateful of her plan to lay low. The disturbing character known only by his alias, The Joker, was feared throughout the city. He seemed endless bent on mass destruction and mayhem.

Harvey Dent was taken into custody, proclaiming before the public, that he was the masked vigilante, Batman. Selina doubted this was true. She and Holly watched the news on their small television set in the store room of the gallery. Something just didn't seem quite right about that to Selina. She had spent quite some time studying the Bat and she couldn't believe that someone like Harvey Dent, who spent his waking hours fighting crime in the city, unmasked and in the public eye, would then dress up in a black suit and a cape to fight crime at night. How could one man do all that? But then it would be the perfect rouse. At the time the news broke, Selina's thoughts wandered to Rachel Dawes. Did the sweet faced DA have any idea what danger her boyfriend was putting her in?

"It's romantic!" Holly insisted, when the two women were discussing it one sleepy Monday morning. Holly was five years Selina's junior and the older woman was amused that her cynicism had not rubbed off on Holly quite yet. "His whole life is devoted to the protection of the city. I would think Rachel would be so proud of him!"

Selina rolled her eyes. They had a mountain of orders to trail through. Their opening weekend had been a success and Selina had found herself in amongst a pile of paperwork.

"Yes," Selina agreed. "But does her _boyfriend_ realise that he has just highlighted the Joker's next target? He has practically handed her to him on a platter!"

Holly screwed up her face in annoyance. It was just like Selina to see the negative in everything. But the very next day, something happened that shook both women to the core.

Selina was watching as two delivery men carried in her latest finds, two rare statues from Rome. She tapped her foot irritably while they unloaded the van and stumbled through the gallery door, landed with a heavy crate. With a tight smile she paid them, brushing her hand over the dusty lid and trying not to look at the muddied footprints on her nice, polished floor.

"Selina?" Holly called from the storeroom. "Come see this."

Folding her arms across her chest, Selina headed to where Holly was standing. She was leaning against their photocopier, a rose print mug tight in her small white hands. Holly was pale and staring at the television, transfixed. Swallowing, the younger girl, tore her gaze away and met Selina's cool eyes.

"You were right," Holly whispered. "She's dead."

Selina inhaled sharply and with stone cold eyes, watched the news report. She grew colder at every detail revealed until finally they cut back to the studio. So, he was still a killer. Something about the murder sent a chill down her spine and she visibly shivered. Rachel Dawes was just a pawn in his game. The Joker wanted something and Rachel was standing in the way. So he'd blown her up without a second thought.

"You were right," Holly repeated. "She was trying to help Gotham and look where it got her?"

Selina looked down at her feet and swallowed. She leaned forward and switched off the television, the news making her feel queasy. Straightening, she tossed her loose curls over her shoulder and prepared to go back to work.

"That's why I don't make friends," she said to the younger woman, before going back out into the shop, intent on getting her mind back to the job.

Holly followed her out. The younger woman rolled up her shirt sleeves and began unpacking the crate that had just been delivered. They worked in silence for a while, the whole time Selina tried to ignore the sniffing and huffing noises Holly was making. It grated on her nerves and she couldn't explain why. Selina knew that at times she was like steel. But she would never apologise for the way she was nor would she ever change. Holly, it seemed was still young and could at times be so naive.

"I hope that they catch that murdering son of a bitch!" Holly muttered through her teeth and Selina, totally distracted, threw down the packing form and turned to face her, folding her arms across her chest.

"_So, do I_!" she said sharply. "But we knew this was part of the game when we came back to Gotham."

Holly screwed up her face. "Game! This isn't a _game _Selina. That poor woman is dead!"

Selina regretted her careless words and flung her arms up in the air.

"I didn't mean game....you know that. But this is Gotham City. I grew up here and I learned a long time ago that bad things happen. Bad things happen to good people!"

Selina suddenly blinked. Someone had said that to her before, a long time ago. But she couldn't remember who. Holly was staring down at her shoes, chewing on her bottom lip.

"What if they never catch him?" Holly whispered. "Then everything we came here for will be for nothing!"

Selina crossed the gap between them and pulled her friend into an awkward hug. Their embrace lasted only moments before Selina inched away. Holly smiled, grateful for the contact anyway.

"Once the Joker is out of the picture then we can really get going. They will find him!" Selina promised. "Now come on. This lot won't unpack itself!"

The _Joker._ Selina shivered as the name left her lips and floated into the air around them. Even talking about him made her stomach lurch. The name conjured up malevolence and fear, like something awful out of a child's nightmare. He seemed like an unstoppable force, determined to bring the city to its knees. Selina wondered at the man behind that garish clown makeup. What had happened in those years of separation to make him like this?

As if Selina had some special power that Holly was unaware of, a few days later she pulled the Gotham Times out of their mail box, letting it fall to the mat at her feet. Holly stared down at the bold headline that was screaming up at her.

**The Joker Incarcerated in Arkham Awaits Trial.**

Holly let a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. She ducked and picked the paper off the mat and went to find her friend.

////

**One Month Later**

Selina buttoned her crisp white shirt up to her throat and ran her hands carefully over her neat, blonde chignon. She picked up the tailored grey jacket that was draped across the back of her dressing table chair and slipped it easily over her shoulders. Applying her red lipstick, she pouted at her reflection and then slipped on her wide black sunglasses.

Today was the day she had been waiting for weeks. Every night she had sat up impatiently in her robe, waiting for the announcement on the news. Day after day, her eyes had eagerly scanned the papers. And at last, today's date had been broadcast on the front page of the Gotham Times. It was the day that The Joker, was going to be sentenced.

It was nearly eight thirty and Selina groaned as she stared at the clock. If she didn't hurry she would end up passing Holly on her way to work. She flung her coat over her shoulders and hurried down the narrow stairway of her apartment building, her heels clicking over the wooden flooring. She unlocked the gallery door and quickly crossed the smooth floor, leaving a note on the desk for Holly to find when she arrived later. The note was simple. It read, 'Out for the day. Call you later. Sxx'.

Holly was used to Selina's bizarre comings and goings by now and the older woman wasn't in the habit of explaining her every movement. She locked the door and waltzed out into a brilliant sunny morning. Selina squinted her eyes, amazed that the warm rays had managed to penetrate the cloud of smog that hung like a blanket over the city. Feeling the heat on her face she darted along the street, hailing a cab.

"Gotham City Courthouse please," she instructed the driver, straightening her pencil skirt as she slid across the seat. She ignored the approving glance he cast at her from the rear view mirror, pretending to stare out of the window as the cab sped through the narrow streets, quiet at this time of day. Selina groaned inwardly as they hit a jam just before getting into the new town. Car horns were sounding out of the impatient queue of vehicles and Selina checked her watch.

Annoyed she stuffed a wad of notes into the front seat, mumbling a grudging thank you to the driver, and then quickly zipped out of the car. She calculated that she was only a few miles away and she could make the hearing on foot. She nipped through the growing, bustling crowd, ignoring their disapproving glares as she barged past them. Clutching her purse tightly, she rounded the courthouse building, a massive stone piece of architecture not unlike the famous Gotham Cathedral that she had visited all those years ago.

Selina wasn't surprised to see that the courthouse steps were literally crawling with reporters and press. This was a momentous day in Gotham history. One of its most dangerous and infamous residents was being sentenced. Out of breath, she smoothed her hair before taking the steps, slipping easily though the crowd. The courthouse foyer was packed with people mingling, bustling around. Selina guessed that some of them were reporters that had been given special passes. Some were police officers and some were merely spectators who were here for the show. She wondered at how many could be relatives of some of the many people that the Joker had murdered on his little crusade. Maybe they had been on one of the ferries? Selina wondered then at her own motive for being here. Climbing the vast marble steps to the courtrooms, she observed the people still coming in through the double doors.

She spied a dark haired man, surrounded by press being ushered in through the doors. She bit her bottom lip, staggering slightly as someone bumped her shoulder. The dark haired man was Bruce Wayne. He was being ushered through another set of double doors below and Selina guessed that he was being taken to the VIP seats, not like the rest of them packed in the viewing gallery.

Her eyes flashing to the large oval clock above the entrance doors, she pushed her way back down the steps and followed the mass of reporters who seemed to be encompassing the dark haired millionaire. Selina gritted her teeth and dodged the crowds, quickly getting through the doors before they were shut and locked after the last lot of press got through.

"The trial will begin in ten minutes," a voice called out above the crowd. "Everyone to their seats!"

Standing on tip toe, Selina managed to keep track of Bruce Wayne, smoothing her skirt down as she followed the press into the courtroom. It was a massive, oak panelled room that had a sense of oppression about it. Selina wondered how many men had been sent to Arkham straight from this very room. She wondered how many innocent lives had been stolen away through the decisions made in here. Bruce had been shown to a seat right near the front left.

The seats were filling quickly and she clutched her purse tightly, stumbling slightly as someone bumped her from behind.

"I'm so sorry!" a man with a soft, gentle voice said behind her and Selina turned abruptly, nearly tumbling into him as someone tripped her with a carelessly held umbrella. The man caught her by the elbows and she stared up into his face, blushing from her roots to her toes.

Inwardly she groaned. On planning her return to Gotham, she hadn't counted on running into so many familiar faces. The man, also dark haired, was attractive in a kind, soft way. He had creases at the corners of his eyes and a neat moustache, which hadn't been there when Selina had last seen him. At the time he had been Officer Gordon, now he had an entirely different title.

He was smiling at her in that way she was familiar with. It was the way most men reacted when they first saw her. But then he seemed to catch himself and let go of her arms. She couldn't tell if he had been staring at her because she was so attractive or that he may have recognised her. But then, she had been nine years old when he had last seen her. And she had changed a bit since then.

"Did I trip you? You better get in here quick. It's getting pretty crowded!" he said. He held out his hand towards a row of seating that was quickly filling up. Selina smiled and nodded, quickly slipping into the pew and sliding along. Bruce Wayne was only a couple of rows ahead of her.

She hoped that he would sit somewhere else. Shouldn't the Commissioner of Police have a special box or something? Swallowing thickly, she saw him climbing in beside her. He smiled at her again and she returned it as neutrally as she could.

"What paper are you with?" he asked cordially. He had his hands in his lap and was nervously fidgeting. Selina noticed that his palms had made the fabric of his pants damp. Tearing her eyes away and back to his face she shook her head.

"I'm just a spectator....I was a friend of Rachel Dawes," the lie slipped easily from her mouth and lips pressed into a thin line at the sound of the deceased woman's name.

"Yes. She was a friend of mine too," he replied gruffly. "It was a terrible thing. Terrible."

Great! Selina thought miserably. It seemed that she couldn't get away with anything in this town.

Mentally she prepared herself for more questioning and she was busy inventing a witty story of how she knew Rachel well enough to be at a sentencing of her murderer, better than a fleeting moment in a gallery. So preoccupied was she that she didn't notice his hand extended towards her.

"I'm Jim Gordon," he introduced himself politely. Smiling warmly, she took his large hand in hers.

"I'm Selina," she said, shaking his hand firmly. "It's nice to meet you, _Commissioner._"

He smiled wryly. "I'm never going to get used to that title."

There was a slight commotion as a door at the far end of the room opened and in walked about twelve; ashen faced people. Selina eyed them carefully, as one by one they climbed up on a raised area to take their seats. Selina wondered at what grim evidence that the jury had been forced to sift through. The actual trial had been a long winded affair. News of its progress had been broadcast daily on the news, with snippets in the paper here and there. Sound bites had been turning up on radio stations and on the internet, though nobody knew how they had gotten there. It seemed that whatever came out of the Joker's mouth, made headlines. He was selling papers and the media were lapping it up.

Today was the day that everyone was waiting for. The sentencing. Everyone stood suddenly as Judge Revelli, a large, balding man of nearly fifty years entered the room. The lawyers and prosecution filed in from the back of the courtroom. Selina noticed Bruce Wayne turn his head as they entered, his eyes straying over his shoulder, momentarily catching her eyes. Selina held his gaze for what felt like minutes, but could have only been seconds. Flushing, she ducked her eyes, realising that for some unknown reason her heart beat had started up frantically in her chest.

The Judge took his seat at the bench and the lawyers approached. They were whispering in hushed tones and Selina's stomach lurched as the moment she had been waiting for crept closer. She wondered what he was doing in that back room. Was he alone? Were they too afraid to have someone sitting with him? The lawyers went back to their own sides and the Judge spoke.

"Please bring out the defendant," he ordered. The courtroom was filled with an excited murmur and Selina felt bile rise in her throat as the door banged open. There was a shuffling noise, like feet moving over a polished floor. With two large men either side of him, Selina almost didn't recognise him at first. The Joker was being half dragged, half supported as he shuffled to the stand, his feet chained together with steel links. Selina's eyes flicked to his face, which was bare of any of the greasepaint that she had now become familiar with.

She inhaled. So this was the man he'd grown into. His eyes were bloodshot and sore, probably from lack of sleep; deep grooves under his eye sockets, made them appear sunken. His skin was sickly pale and his hair was dirty, almost black with oil, where it had been scraped back into a tight ponytail at the back of his head. His mouth worked soundlessly as his eyes roamed the room, his lips twitching, and the snake like tongue probing the insides of his mouth. The scarring that had frightened Selina as a child was hardly visible from this distance. You could see it more clearly when he was wearing makeup. Selina wondered if that was the point.

Gone was the memory of the boy with the lopsided smile and the intense gaze. Gone was the memory of him laying by her side on the white room floor. This was the man he had become. This man was bound, his arms twisted uncomfortably into the straight jacket he had been wrestled into. This man was shackled, every movement sore and painful. This man would never see the light of day again. This man was a killer, a nameless, brutal demon. It was suddenly clear why she was here, why she had snuck out of her home and why it was so important for her to be here.

She wanted to see if Jack was still there. Was there any trace left of the boy she had grown up with? Her hands shaking slightly, she ducked her eyes as his own traced across her side of the courtroom.

"Are you alright?" Jim Gordon whispered to her left and she nodded hurriedly.

"He just...he's a little frightening that's all," she confessed, half of her realising that was true. The Joker was being led up to the stand. He looked fidgety and ill at ease, his shoulders riding up to his ears and shaking his head.

"Will a member of the Jury please stand?" the judge ordered. A timid looking woman with short dark hair rose to her feet. Selina instantly felt sorry for her. What a job!

"Will the defendant please state his name for the court?" the judge's voice seemed to make the Joker fidget all the more. He shook his shoulders, a crooked smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

"You know...that's the sixth time you've asked me that question," his voice was soft and guarded. Selina shivered. His voice hadn't changed at all over the years. "Do you think I'm going to tell you now? This isn't a courtroom...it's a _circus."_

"Really. A circus? And you're the entertainment?" the judge shot at the man in the stand.

The Joker seemed to be thinking that one over before answering slowly.

"I meant _media _circus...," he blinked rapidly. "But if that's the way you want to look at it. This is _your _courtroom judge...so is it _my _fault that you've let it become this..._farce?_"

Judge Revelli seemed to be struggling with patience. Selina wondered what it must have been like to face this man everyday and to get absolutely nowhere. Especially as this man had murdered one of his own colleagues.

"I want to point out that you alone have hindered your own defence. Without names or birth certificates it's been..."

"Oh I know my birthday!" the Joker giggled through yellowed teeth, his shoulders shaking with laughter. "It's the same day every year!"

Raising her eyebrows as a shiver went through the courtroom, Selina watched as the Judge's face clouded with momentary anger.

"I asked that you state your name," he repeated. "That's all we want from you."

"What's in a name? _You _pick one for me," the Joker replied shrugging. "And call me that. It's too bad that Batman couldn't be here to see this."

The Joker let out a long sigh, letting his shoulders slump dramatically. Then they began to shake with mirth again. He leaned across the stand, doubled up in raucous laughter. It took the Judge many whacks of the gavel to get him to stand up right. Eventually the guards that had brought him in pushed him back into position. Selina eyed the Jury and noticed that more than a handful of them appeared incredibly uncomfortable at their proximity to him.

"The contempt you have shown this court in the last few weeks has led me to believe that you are many things," the Judge shook his head. "I however do not believe you are an unintelligent man. I believe you have played this from the beginning and God knows how the people of Gotham have paid for your twisted game with our city. Now I have to leave it to the Jury to decide your fate."

The woman in the stand was trembling. Selina could see the piece of paper she was holding was jittering about in her fingers.

"Jury have you reached a verdict?"

The woman shook her head. "No."

Beside her Jim Gordon exhaled loudly as a buzz went through the courtroom. In the front bench, Selina noticed Bruce Wayne's bowed head. He looked like he was rubbing his forehead. Straining to see, she gave up and inched back down in her seat.

"They're going to recommend psychiatric treatment," Gordon sighed, his face defeated and pale. Selina wanted to suddenly reach out and hold the older man's hand. He had been through so much to get the Joker here today and now it appeared that it was all coming apart at the seams.

"We recommend that patient J," she paused, her face flushing. "We recommend that he be removed and incarcerated in Arkham Asylum until more can be learned from his character. We found it difficult to reach a conclusion due to the severe lack of detailing on the defendant. We know nothing about him to form a coherent, conclusive opinion as to his fate."

Stumbling the woman dropped back in her seat, relieved that it was over. Selina supposed that it must be terrifying having to stand before a man like that and pass sentence on him. Jim Gordon was rubbing his head anxiously, shaking it from side to side.

"There you see!" he hissed at Selina. "I knew this would happen. They want to put him back in that place where he can live out his life...being protected and fed...looked after. He's a _murderer!_"

Selina opened her mouth to speak but no words would form. She rested her hand over the top of his. When he looked up, she was smiling sadly at him.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "But the way I see it is that wherever he ends up, at least the only one he can hurt is himself."

After what seemed like an eternity of him staring at his hands, he looked up and met her eyes.

"Thank you. I'm sorry for behaving like that," he apologised. His eyes lingered on hers for longer than was necessary and Selina became aware that he was working over her face in his mind. Growing warm, she turned her face away and looked to the stand. That was when she gasped.

The Joker was staring straight at her, his head cocked to one side, his eyes narrowed. Selina's heart nearly stopped in her chest. She tried to take a breath but for some reason it wouldn't come. She felt like a rabbit caught in the glare of bright car headlights. Her face was visible and naked to his gaze and there was no taking it back now. Recognition burned in his eyes, his lips lifting in a wicked, half smile. Wordlessly he mouthed something to her across the courtroom. It seemed as though everyone in the room had disappeared and they were the only two left, staring at each other face to face.

There was so much commotion going on around her that thankfully, nobody seemed to have noticed. People were filing out around her but rooted to her seat, Selina watched as the Joker was hauled off the stand, grunting as he was pushed back through the door from where he had come from. Selina scrambled to her feet, ignoring Jim Gordon's quizzical look as she darted past him. Out in the corridor she exhaled, suddenly feeling so sick. Dizziness swept over her as she ran past photographers and press and hurried into the nearest ladies' bathroom.

Leaning over the sink, she let out a cry as a rush of emotion washed over her. Gripping the basin with white fingers, she tried to straighten but her breathing erratic; she had to close her eyes. No one had ever had this kind of effect on her before. Not even Elliot could have claimed to make her swoon, even in the loved up early days of their relationship. Selina was not used to being knocked off her feet, especially by a man. Especially a man like him.

It wasn't a good feeling. It wasn't like locking eyes with Bruce Wayne across the courtroom earlier. She was terrified. One look at him and she felt like she was nine years old again. She was back in Humberside, alone, with nothing and fighting for survival. Selina let the cold water from the tap run over her wrists and at once she felt a little calmer. Straightening her jacket, she took her trademark red lipstick from her purse and smoothed it over her pale lips.

Out in the corridor she pushed through the number of people that were still filing out of the courtroom. She needed to get out and breathe fresh air. She headed for the large double doors, squeezing through the masses, feeling sweaty and uncomfortable in her white shirt and grey jacket. Her heels clicked loudly as she skipped down the steps, wincing as several flashing bulbs went off in her face. She dodged the reporters but lost her footing as a camera man accidently nudged her.

Someone caught her arm and she inwardly groaned at her severe lack of co-ordination today. Selina turned and saw the man standing directly behind her, immediately doing a double take.

"Uh. Hello," she smiled at the tall, handsome man, who was still clutching her arm. Bruce Wayne returned her smile, reluctantly letting her arm fall from his grip. His brow was quite low; she noticed at once, it made him appear quite sombre.

"You're pretty quick," he marvelled, grinning to reveal an impeccable set of white, even teeth. "I practically had to chase you to keep up!"

Selina felt her composure returning. "Why would someone like you be chasing me?"

Bruce reached inside his tailored suit pocket and retrieved a lipstick cased in gold packaging that Selina recognised instantly. She blushed. What was wrong with her today? She didn't even remember dropping it.

"Oh," she said taking it from his outstretched fingers. "Thank you. I would have missed that. It's my favourite one."

"I noticed you in court earlier," Bruce was probing, folding his arms across his wide expanse of chest. "I thought I knew every reporter in this city, but I didn't recognise you."

Selina laughed and waved her hand in the air. "I don't work for the paper....I own a gallery down town. I came to see him sentenced. My brother was on one of the ferries and after the incident....well the stress has caused him so many problems!"

Bruce nodded gravely. She noticed that his mouth had a pouty quality to it. That was something that hadn't changed from when she had met him as a child. Oh, how he had changed.

"I can imagine," he said at last. He seemed to be working on a way of detaining her further. As much as Selina was enjoying staring at him, she was still shaken and desperately wanted to get home.

"Thank you again!" she smiled brightly, hiding her inner turmoil. She turned and darted away, annoyed and angry with herself. That was not how she had wanted to meet Bruce Wayne!

"Wait..." he called after her and she grimaced. Turning, she stared up at him from the bottom step. His immaculate dark hair was being whipped by the breeze.

"Yes?" Selina replied, pushing a strand of blonde hair out of her eyes.

"You said you own a gallery?" he joined her on the bottom step. He was close enough for her to smell his cologne and she ignored the sudden rush of colour that she knew must have crept across her face.

"Yes, it's across from the park," she explained and he nodded, enthused.

"I know...well, I may be interested in calling by sometime. My home is being rebuilt as we speak and I can't stand bare walls. Maybe if you were there...I could call in and we could set something up?" his stony features melted into a sudden smile and Selina was finding it difficult not to grin up at him like a teenager.

"I work there every day," she offered gently. "You're welcome anytime."

Selina clutched her purse to her chest and backed away, carefully avoiding the potholes in the cobbled walkway. When she was a good distance away, she threw her head back across her shoulder and found he was still there staring after her. She lifted her fingers in a small wave and he mirrored her gesture.

Giving herself a mental shake, she hailed a cab and luckily the first one she saw pulled up at the kerb for her. Getting in she dared to look at the stone steps of the courthouse and saw him standing there with his hands shoved in his pockets, watching as she drove away.

When the cab was bustling back towards the gallery, she let out a loud sigh, thinking at least Holly would be pleased with her. But for Selina, her rush of warmth was short lived. Her darkened thoughts returned to that moment in the courtroom. They returned to that moment when he had looked at her. Across a whole court filled with people, he had sought her out, almost as if he had known she was there.

Closing her eyes, she leaned her forehead against the cool glass. The vision of his face was still too real to try and forget. The way he had cocked his head and narrowed his eyes at her, was so much like the gestures she had become too used to during their time together as children and yet it seemed wrong. So out of place. Selina stared numbly out at the fading sunshine, knowing that the clouds were brewing and it looked like it was going to rain.

He had mouthed something to her across that room. Although she couldn't be sure, she thought she knew what he had said. That was the very thing that had struck her. It was what had terrified her.

He had said_. I see you._


	20. Revelations

**Hello everyone. Firstly, thank you so much for all the fantastic reviews I have received! You all are amazing and I'm hoping that I don't let you down. This one has been a long, long time coming and I apologise. I have been quite sick for a while but the good news is that I'm currently home sitting on my bottom and feeling in the zone. Please as always let me know what you think. This is quite dialogue heavy but it's more of a plot pushing chapter.**

**Enjoy xx**

**Revelations**

A week had passed since the Joker had been incarcerated in Arkham Asylum and it was as if the entire city had released a collective sigh of relief. Selina didn't know if she was imagining things but it was almost as if the air felt lighter. When she took walks to and from the park to grab a coffee from the vendor, she enjoyed taking deep, relaxing breaths, almost as if the air had been purified by the loss of the clown's influence.

The city was still engulfed in the persistent cloud of smog, but rays of sunlight seemed determined to break through. The gallery was busy and for once Selina found herself immersed in real, hard work which was a change for her. Honest work had never been Selina's forte. She had been introduced to a life of crime from an early age, thanks to Elliot. Selina had never had to work hard to get money and it had always been fun, but kind of effortless. Unless you called running for your life through the city streets, whilst been shot at by cops, fun and effortless.

It seemed every day, new customers would arrive in the shop and would willingly part with an enormous amount of cash in return for Selina's help and advice. It was new and she had to admit, quite enjoyable. And she didn't have to feel guilty! But Selina was guilty of jumping each time the door opened in the shop, desperately hoping for the visitor to come in the shape of Bruce Wayne. He was one customer that had yet to make an appearance.

"Selina you have a delivery!" Holly called from the shop foyer one afternoon. Selina was stacking a recent delivery from Berlin in the store room and she eagerly hoped down from the step ladder, straightening her grey skirt. She smoothed back her hair, her heels clicking as she dashed to meet Holly in the shop. Holly was staring down at a flat package on the desk and Selina frowned, the package not the size she had been expecting.

"Oh," she groaned. "I thought it was the London order."

Holly pushed her glasses up on her nose. "It is from London. Did you buy anything?"

Selina folded her arms and stared down at the package. It looked pretty beaten about, one side of the cardboard slightly damp and crumpled.

"I didn't," she bit her lip, a sudden surge of anxiety washing over her, making her stomach clench. "Did it come with a packing note?"

Holly stared at her friend, who had suddenly paled. "No....you want to open it?"

Selina reached for the box and wrenched the top of it off with her thin fingers. The cardboard tore easily and it fell to the floor. There was a note pinned to the inside and Selina ripped it away, letting her green eyes settle on the messy, scrawled hand writing.

"Oh...hell," Selina groaned and peered into the box. "How did he know where I was?"

Without warning, she began to shake, the note slipping from her fingertips. Dizziness washed over her and she gripped the edge of the desk for support, her knuckles white. Holly narrowed her eyes, alarmed at her friend's sudden loss of composure. Ducking, Holly picked up the note and read the messy writing.

"Thought you might be needing this," she read aloud. "Be seeing you. Elliot. Oh..._Selina!_"

Holly gripped the taller woman in an awkward hug, feeling her thin bones move under the cotton shirt she was wearing. It floored Holly when she saw Selina go into panic mode, she had no idea how to comfort her or what to say. Selina usually the epitome of composure and control, gently pulled out of Holly's arms.

"It's alright," she whispered urgently. "I knew he would catch up with me eventually. He always does. Only this time, he won't catch me unaware."

Holly dived back to the crumpled box and pulled out a long black garment that the note had been pinned to. She took it out of its plastic film and let it fall to the floor. The fabric was cheap clingy polyester, and it was musty and felt bobbled to the touch. Holly narrowed her eyes at what appeared to be a body suit.

"Is this...?" she tried to find the words. "Is this what you...?"

Selina sighed, her earlier panic replaced by embarrassment. The outfit was old and worn and she hadn't seen it for a long, long time. She was ashamed at the things she had done in that suit and of the things Elliot had done to her while wearing it. It conjured up too many old memories, things that she had thought were dead and buried.

Holly snorted. "It's tiny!"

Selina's face flamed. "Well I was a lot _younger_ then. Elliot brought it back to our apartment one night and said that I could wear it when we went out on a job. He got a real kick out of it. The idea was that I was supposed to blend into the night but I ended up being the most recognisable one of the gang. I even got a nickname!"

Holly pulled the thin, flimsy fabric between her fingers. "A nickname?"

Selina grinned, a blush streaking across her cheeks. "You don't want to know!"

"Oh...I think I do!" Holly giggled and Selina snatched the garment out of her hands. Selina stalked back towards the store room, her nerves still raw and frayed. This was something she really didn't want to talk about now. She kicked open the stiff door to the alley out back. The breeze was cool on her face and whipped through her loose strands of hair as she stood on tip toe and threw the suit into the dumpster.

"Hey!" Holly was in the doorway, an annoyed expression in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

Selina fell back on her heels, turning to give her friend an unfriendly, cold glare.

"This isn't funny!" she snapped. "That suit....you have no idea what the person who used to wear that was capable of. The things I did...I can't even talk to you about. Elliot fashioned me into the woman he wanted and I _became _that woman. I lost everything that was good about me!"

Holly folded her arms across her chest, stepping out into the alley way.

"You can talk to me Selina," she promised. "There is nothing you could have done that will change the way I feel about you now. You saved my life!"

Selina shook her head. "I thought that it was over. I thought this time he wouldn't find me."

"Our past always catches up with us Selina...believe me I know!" Holly tilted her head thoughtfully. "You can't run from him. When the time comes, he will find you again. But this time you'll be stronger. This time I'll be here."

Selina felt a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Don't go all emotional on me."

Holly shook her head. "I'm sorry I forgot myself. What was I thinking?"

The afternoon dragged on and with it came the usual sporadic downpour, making the pavements outside slick and glistening in the sunlight. The atmosphere in the gallery grew heavy and dull; Selina was getting a headache from inhaling so much dust from the store room shelves. The two women seemed content though to work in relative silence, after the strange delivery. Holly guessed that on some level, Selina was in shut down mode. It was the way she coped with sudden changes in her life. An Elliot's little present was a sudden shock to the system.

Hopping down off the step ladder, Selina rubbed her temples, a dull ache forming behind her eyes. She ducked to the cupboard by the fax machine, a little cubby hole that Holly had designated as a home for their cosmetics and toiletries. Selina made a face when she came across a packet of empty paracetamol. She straightened and tugged at the bottom of her shirt, before grabbing her jacket from the coat hook.

"Where are you going?" Holly's face was alarmed when Selina ventured out of the store room in a cream linen jacket and pink scarf. Selina's face broke into a reluctant smile.

"It's alright! I'm not running off, I promise. I'm going to the store to get some painkillers, you want anything?"

Holly shook her head, her curls bouncing on her shoulders. "Why don't you take a walk and get some fresh air?"

Selina nodded thoughtfully. "I will. But please stop looking at me like I'm going to implode! Its fine...I'm fine!"

Selina shut the door swiftly behind her, her lies echoing in the vast space of the gallery. Selina wasn't fine. She was nowhere near fine. That suit had been a harsh reminder of events that she had tried to forget. Faces came back to her. Faces that were terrified, pleading for her to let them go. Faces that she would never really leave her. Swaying slightly on her heels, Selina leaned in the doorway of the jewellers next door, trying to steady her breathing.

She hadn't seen Elliot in three years. The last time she had seen him was the night she had walked out of their apartment in London, a dingy one bed rat trap in Brixton, above an Indian Restaurant. He'd been loaded and fast asleep. Selina had not done everything Elliot had done. She hadn't become addicted to the drugs that seemed to hold him hostage.

Looking down at him from above on that last night in her black dress and duffle coat, her makeup a garish mess from crying her heart out, she had known then that she should have just killed him. But he was asleep and looked like an angel. He reminded her so much of someone, his dirty blonde hair splayed out on the grotty pillow, his eyelashes almost black against his pale skin. He looked so helpless laying there. She had loved him for so long. He had taught her everything she knew.

_But there has got to be more for me than this_, she kept telling herself. _This can't be all there is for me._ That night she should have taken his gun and finished him. After all, he seemed to crave death so badly. Nobody who abused themselves that way could want anything else. And he would find her again.

Selina should have killed him. But she hadn't. Instead she had taken everything in that apartment that she could get money for and left that night on a plane to Thailand, where her new life would begin.

Giving herself a mental shake, she darted down the slippery pavement, thick with rain water, darting into the local market, just before the sky burst for the second time that afternoon. It was chilly inside the market and she shivered, her jacket a little damp. The rain thudded against the store window, causing various people to come running inside. The quiet little shop suddenly fuller, Selina hurried to the toiletries section, her eyes scanning the shelves for the mild pain medication she was now in desperate need of. Her eye sockets ached and she felt a little sick with it. Reaching for the blue and white striped packet on the top shelf, she nudged it accidently, forcing it further back on the shelf out of her reach. Gritting her teeth and straining in her two inch heels, she tipped forward and made a grunting noise when she couldn't get to it.

"Err miss?" a male voice came from behind her and Selina's face flamed with embarrassment. "You want a hand?"

Selina tossed the man a smile over her shoulder, her cheeks pink. "What I want is my legs to grow another two inches but that isn't going to happen!" she joked. "Would you mind?"

The man was wearing a scruffy, rumpled uniform that had the store's name plastered across the breast pocket. He gently eased past her and Selina marvelled at his own height which must have been well over six two. He was older than her, late forties perhaps and had a stony, craggy profile. It wasn't until he turned to face her fully, placing the painkillers in her out stretched hand that Selina's jaw dropped.

Her stomach back flipped. His hair had once been a dirty, messy blonde that had hung loose around his face. It was now grey and scraped back in a pony tail at the nape of his neck. How was it possible that he had barely changed over the years? His face, handsome in an older, world wise way, was still as rugged and craggy as she remembered. She remembered the way his eyes crinkled at the edges when he smiled, which wasn't often.

Selina felt like someone had thrown a bucket of water over her, like there were icicles creeping down her legs towards her shoes. There was no going back from this, her face was visible and naked for him to see and she instantly saw the recognition burning there.

The man narrowed his eyes, stepping back slightly. "My god....Selina?"

Out of nowhere, tears had sprung into her eyes. All at once she was nine years old and this man was standing in the doorway of a large bedroom, barking at them all to get to their beds. Then she remembered the night he'd been led away, to be imprisoned in black gate. His face had been so sad, so lost but determined to protect what he loved.

Her fingers reached towards him. "Jonah...._Jonah?_"

It was a strange moment. Her hands were outstretched, trembling, not really knowing if he was coming closer to her or inching away. With a huge breath of emotion the older man seized her hands and pulled her against him. She could feel him breathing against her chest, his emotion sparking something so forgotten within her that she burst into tears on his shoulder.

"I never thought I would ever...my god!" he marvelled, pulling away, taking her cold face in his large hands. "Look at you!"

She closed her hands over his. "You're free....you got out of prison?"

He laughed, his eyes crinkling. "I've been free for two years. This place was one of the only that would take an ex con like me."

Selina narrowed her eyes. "But you did nothing wrong! You took the fall for....you served the whole sentence?"

Jonah shook his head, wrapping his hands around her smaller ones. "Don't let's talk about all that. How are you? Look at you Selina....you're _beautiful!_"

Selina shook her head, all thoughts of her earlier headache gone. "This is surreal. I can't _believe_ your really here. We have to catch up...when do you get a break?"

"I'm due one now actually. We could go to the park?"

Selina grinned. "That's where I was headed!"

Waiting in the doorway of the store for Jonah to appear was like a strange fragment out of a dream. Wrapping her arms around her waist for comfort, she rocked back and forth on her heels impatiently. When he appeared moments later, in a large duffle coat and scarf, she couldn't believe it was the same man who had played such a huge part in her childhood memories. Vaguely she tried to place an age on him, noticing that whilst in prison he had only grown bigger and more powerful, and his shoulders enormous under that big coat.

He grinned at her boyishly, and she blushed, feeling like she was going on a date or something. To make matters worse he held out his arm. She smiled timidly and linked her own through his, liking his warmth against her.

"Jesus Selina," he breathed, casting her a sideways glance. "The last time I saw you..."

"You were being taken to black gate prison," she finished for him and he pressed his lips together in a line. "So much has happened since then."

They passed the gallery but took the walkway across the street towards the park. They found a bench that had dried up a little in the brief afternoon sunshine. Jonah took off his coat and laid it across the bench for her to sit on. Selina smiled.

"I don't remember you being such a gentleman," she laughed and he grinned up at her, fishing around in his pockets for some change. He emptied out the contents into his large, flat palm.

"There are many things you don't know about me," he smiled. "I must have seemed like an ogre to you back then, always shouting and yelling at you all. When I was a kid all my teachers seemed like relics to me!"

Selina ignored the change he was holding out. "I'm buying! And you were never a relic...more like a friendly giant."

She tried to ignore that he was watching her as she ordered and paid for the coffee. She could feel the heat of his eyes on her as she moved and inwardly she groaned, hoping that he wasn't looking at her in _that _way. She hoped it was more of a fatherly admiration. But then, Selina was nearly thirty and he wasn't that old. _And_ he was a man and Selina told herself that she should be used to it by now.

Walking back towards him, she smiled broadly, placing the steaming cardboard cup in his hand. He smiled ruggedly back up at her and she could feel herself growing more and more nervous.

"You know....I knew you were going to be a pretty kid...but you really are something Selina!" he marvelled and she laughed it off, nervously. "There must be a lucky guy in your life?"

Selina settled next to him, turning her knees into face his thighs. He took up most of the seat.

"No guy I'm afraid!" she replied honestly. "Actually I've just come out of a tough relationship...well, that was about three years ago!"

Jonah pulled a face. "Ouch. Must have been a tough! He was an idiot if you ask me."

Selina shook her head, taking a moment to raise the steaming cup to her lips. "I was the idiot for staying so long. He was the clever one. But that's over now. What about you....what happened to Ally?"

Jonah's facial features seemed to tighten. "Well....I don't know what happened after I went away. I know that Humberside burned to the ground. I know that Rene got off scot free, courtesy of her 'family' connections. I knew that you and Suzie ran away from Wayne Manor and I know that little Tony died in that fire."

Selina visibly winced at the sound of the boy's name. It was a name that she had long tried to forget.

"Sorry," Jonah apologised, taking her hand in his. To her surprise she didn't pull away. In fact it felt nice, friendly and familiar. "I expect it's still hard to think about?"

Selina took a breath. "It's hard every day. I think about Tony...about Suzie. And I think about Jack."

It was Jonah's turn to flinch. "Yeah me too."

"It was so long ago. Suzie did leave with me that night...but well that's another story."

"One you don't really feel like telling?" Jonah prompted. "I understand."

Selina sat back against the bench, her heart feeling sluggish in her chest. It was draining to think about Humberside, it hurt physically. She felt exhausted.

"So anyway...Ally visited me a couple of times," Jonah continued after Selina's long pause. "She told me what had happened. She felt awful about what she did to you and Jack. But she was desperate. She talked about it all the time and when you ran away it got worse. She blamed herself for you leaving."

Selina glanced at him sideways. "I understand why she did it. She wanted to free you and she thought that it was a way to do it. But too much had happened for me to stay there anymore. I wanted to find Jack. I loved him, in a funny kind of way and I couldn't stay in that place without him."

Jonah's face lifted in a sad half smile. "Did you ever find him?"

Selina sucked in a gulp of air, forcing the image of the man in the courtroom out of her head. She shivered and shook her shoulders.

_I see you_.

"No," she answered at last. "I never saw Jack again. What happened to Ally? Did she wait for you?"

Jonah laughed, but it was tinged with sadness. His shoulders rose up to his ears and then slid back down again.

"I was a crook with no money and no hope of ever getting out before turning forty. Would you have waited?"

Selina punched his shoulder playfully. "I don't know. You're much more handsome than I remember! But then I do like bad men."

He laughed, revealing a row of even teeth and she realised that she had never seen this side of him. The vulnerable side. Inside he probably still felt like the twenty eight year old man he'd been when he had been locked away.

"Well I'm not a bad man, not really. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I got involved with Rene Falcone and her shady business dealings. The reason I never got out was because of the things I did for that family. It was nothing to do with that night at the caravans. It's too bad that a guy like Harvey Dent hadn't been around in those days?"

Selina shuddered at that name. The funeral for Harvey Dent and Rachel Dawes seemed like a million years ago and yet it was still so fresh.

"So anyway...as far as I knew, all the Humberside kids were re homed straight out of Wayne Manor. The old butler there managed to drum up enough of his friends, colleagues of the Wayne's and all of them were adopted. Maybe you should have stayed put?"

Selina raised an eyebrow, allowing herself a little laugh. "Maybe."

The sky overhead was darkening and Selina noticed a few spots of rain on the material of her skirt. Hurriedly she fished around in her bag for her umbrella. She pushed it open and motioned for Jonah to get closer. He took the handle of the umbrella and wedged it into the back of the bench, so that it sat comfortably above both their heads.

"Do you still see Ally?" Selina asked, leaning easily against his shoulder. The older man shook his grey head.

"She was killed in a car accident eight years ago," he said, his chin touching his shirt collar. "That other nurse from the home, Hayley wrote me and told me about it. Ally was driving and she was killed instantly. Her six year old son died in the hospital ten days later."

Selina sighed and let her eyes close momentarily. "That's awful. I'm sorry."

His hand had moved to rest over hers, which was placed across her knee. She hadn't noticed at first but found she didn't mind the contact. They sat in silence for a long time, both lost in the past to form coherent words.

"So I take it you're living it up with that big inheritance of yours?" Jonah said at last and Selina threw him a startled glance. She snorted, her lips pulling into a red smile.

"Inheritance?" she laughed. "I think you have the wrong orphan!"

Jonah turned to face her, his eyes narrowed into a frown. "Then what are you doing back here? I thought it was surely to collect what was owed to you."

Selina let his words sink in for a moment, her heart doing a back flip in her chest. It took a while for her to open her mouth, but when she did she laughed, playfully tapping his knee.

"Jonah my name isn't Annie and there is no daddy Warbucks that I'm secretly related to. I'm just a plain, poor little orphan I swear!"

It was Jonah's turn to go silent, in that time he turned his body towards her, confusion written all over his craggy features.

"Selina....don't you know who your father was?" he probed and when she didn't answer he continued. "Michael Kyle was linked to the Falcones. He was their accountant. When you were sent to us at Humberside he made it clear that before you left that you were to be made aware of the inheritance you were owed. When he was sent to black gate the police accused him of hiding evidence. He was protecting something he'd stolen from them, the Falcones."

Selina blinked as though a light bulb had been aimed into her vision. "Jonah stop!" she said, suddenly breathless. It was like shards of glass were moving to form mirror, where her startled reflection was staring back at her.

"I'm sorry!" he shifted uncomfortably. "I thought you knew!"

"How could I know?" she was shaking. "How could I know?"

Selina was dumbfounded. She suddenly didn't understand anything anymore. Was it possible that everything she had grown to believe was a lie? She felt like someone had pulled a rug from under her sturdy feet, knocking her off balance.

"My mother was killed in a fire and after I got out of hospital I was sent to Humberside. And now you're telling me I have an inheritance, something that was stolen from the very family that I was sent back to? _Rene_ was a Falcone. She must have known!"

Jonah was suddenly holding her squarely by the shoulders. Selina hadn't been aware of rising to her feet. She wasn't aware of the rain coming down around them, making her blonde curls stick to her head. She dimly wondered how long she had been gone from the gallery and if Holly was worried. Her heart was fluttering like a dying bird in her chest and she was staring up at Jonah's old face, his own eyes crinkled with concern.

"Selina I'm so sorry...I shouldn't have said anything...it's just you looked so well, the clothes...you look like you have money."

Selina gripped his arms for support, suddenly swaying on her feet. "It's not your fault. None of this is."

"You look terrible....let me walk you back?" he pleaded, taking her into his side. She huddled to him like a frightened child, allowing him to guide her back towards the gallery. Selina saw Holly jump up from the desk as she stopped outside, her young face alarmed.

"Everything that's happened to me...." Selina whispered as Jonah leaned her against the door. "Everything...the fire...my mom...my body....could they have done all this? Is it their fault?"

The words came out in a choked sob and suddenly Holly appeared in the doorway. Jonah kissed her roughly on the cheek, whispering over and over how sorry he was. She could tell that he wished he hadn't said anything. She could tell that he'd wished their encounter could have ended with another date set for them to meet again. Holly took Selina by the shoulders and pulled her inside the shop, nodding to the grey haired man on the street. He looked so lost and sad that Holly almost invited him in.

Holly pushed Selina up the narrow stairs to her apartment. When they were inside, Holly striped off Selina's soaked jacket and forced a towel around her shoulders. Moments later Selina was on the sofa, wrapped in a blanket and recounting the tale of her childhood to her best friend. She was speaking of memories that were long forgotten. There was no point in hiding anything. Holly had a right to know everything.

She even spoke of Jack, her strange ally in those hard times. But she left out the fact that he was now locked away in a padded cell in Arkham. There were something's that even Selina didn't want to remember right now.

When Selina finished her tale, Holly let out a sharp whistle through her teeth.

"That is some story!" Holly whispered. "So you think that this Rene took whatever it was that your father left for you at Humberside?"

Selina nodded, shifting on the sofa. "Of course she did. I never knew a thing about any money left for me. It wouldn't surprise me if she handed it straight over to her brothers."

"What a bitch!" Holly hissed.

"My life could have been so different. Whatever my father wanted to give to me...he died for it. And so did my Mother. It all makes sense. It was such a random attack. An arson in a small apartment building in Gotham's east end, it was so unprovoked....it was for us. They wanted us dead!"

Holly let Selina's words hang in the air. "It's insane," she said after a while.

"Everything that has ever happened to me....being sent to Humberside....my scarring..."

Holly left Selina alone for a while and for the next couple of hours, the blonde woman sat numb in the same curled up position on the sofa. Finally after the afternoon had grown dim and the first shadows of night were drawing in, Selina left the sofa, still damp and slightly shivery.

She wandered back down to the gallery, shocked to see that Holly was still there. She crept up on her in the store room, while the younger woman was closing up. Holly jumped a mile as Selina made a light noise behind her, whirling on her feet.

"Oh you scared me!" she wailed. "How are you? That guy from the store called to see if you were alright. He seems nice."

"He is," Selina whispered her eyes dark and unreadable in the shadows of the store room. "I hope you don't mind....but for now....there is going to be a change to the plan."

Holly leaned against the door frame, her mouth set in a thin line. She nodded, resigned, almost as though she expected this to happen.

"You are going after the Falcones aren't you?" she prompted after a moment of silence.

Selina folded her arms tightly across her chest. Her faded red lips pulled back into a smile. In the half light, the jade green flecks in her eyes glinted in the darkness. It was finally time. She could feel the readiness in her body. She had talents and skills that were long forgotten and unused. She had come home to Gotham to make some money out of the city that had scorned her. But she found now that there was room for a little revenge.

"Hmm," she said after a while. "I think I'm going to need a new suit."

**A/N: Hi again. Are any of you guys watching the Joker blogs? I have long been a huge fan and supporter of this fantastic man on YouTube. If you haven't already please go and have a look and subscribe and let me know what you think! Just type in Joker blogs on YouTube search. You'll love it! Ha ha hee ha! xxx**


	21. That Old Gang of Mine

**Ok, I had major fun writing this. I really hope this comes across. One of my reviewers mentioned that they would like to see a Joker chapter from his POV so here it is. It's all starting to come together. I really hope you all like this. Let me know what you think.**

**xxx**

**That Old Gang of Mine**

He hadn't planned on escaping that day. Things just happened when he was around. No plan required. He however was a great believer in seizing the moment. At recognising the right opportunity when it presented itself.

He had been in Arkham for six weeks, two days and thirteen hours. He counted down the hours. He counted down the minutes. There was nothing left for him to do. He lay on his back mostly, because it was comfortable. He stared up at the cracked, peeling paint work above his head.

Dry lips. He hated the feeling of his dry cracked lips as they brushed together. His mouth was dirty. It was always dirty but now it was almost unbearable. His teeth felt caked and fuzzy. He was beginning to smell himself and even _he_ knew that wasn't good. He used his tongue to wet his parched lips. His tongue that worked its way around his mouth, probing the jagged flesh that lay within.

No one had touched him in all that time. The day of the trial he had been stuffed back inside the van, bound to the seat as it bumped and bounced its way through the streets, back towards home. This place was his home now.

The strait jacket that bound him was musty and yellowed. He remembered it was white once, but he supposed that was what sweat did. It was disgusting. He supposed he was disgusting. And he thought he would stay that way, until someone drummed up the balls to wash him.

He thought that, smiling to himself as the door to his cell groaned on its hinges. He lifted his dead, lifeless eyes to the gentleman standing in the doorway. The man was tall but stocky, his arms clutching a clipboard to his chest. He was wearing a long, white coat and a name badge. The man in the strait jacket narrowed his eyes. He had pretty good vision.

Doctor Weaving, it read.

"Hey Doc," he said, the hoarseness of his own voice surprising even him. He supposed it was lack of use.

The man stepped into the room, his broad face wrinkling in disgust. The doctor's eyes immediately set upon the slop bucket in the corner. It was quite full. Sometimes he made it, sometimes he didn't.

"That is _vile,_" the doctor stepped back, clearly appalled. "You can't keep a man locked up like this."

There was a short, rotund female guard standing directly behind him. She turned up her nose, carefully avoiding the Joker's dead eyes. She always did that, he noticed. He nicknamed her Flo as he didn't know her real name. Since he'd been here, she seemed to always be on duty. She was his guard and he wondered what it was about her that made her so qualified to do the job.

"And what is _that_?" the doctor pointed open mouthed to a food bowl in the corner. "Is that how you feed him? Like an animal?"

Flo narrowed her small blue eyes at the doctor as though he were an intruder. She didn't like being told how to treat her inmates.

"Clearly you don't know much about patient J," she began. Without waiting she pushed past him, knocking him slightly. She retrieved the dog bowl from the corner of the cell and kicked it in front of the patient, who stared down at it bemused. It made a clanging noise that sounded deafeningly around the small cell. Flo marched towards the patient and seized up a fistful of his greasy, faded green hair.

The patient made a wincing noise as with a grunt she forced his face downward. She hovered him above the bowl for a moment before roughly letting go. The patient looked up and the doctor saw that his eyes were watering.

"You cannot treat him like this," the doctor repeated and Flo snorted.

"Would you like to read the daily reports my predecessor wrote before _he_," she still managed to shoot him the deathly glare without looking in his eyes, "decided to bite off his ear? Forbes was a good guy....he let his guard down at the wrong moment. He trusted this....monster and paid for it! We treat him like an animal...because he is one!"

Flo, arms folded tightly across her ample chest marched out of the cell. The doctor stared down at his newest challenge, with great anxiety in his expression.

"This ends now. I want Patient J up, scrubbed clean and in new overalls in one hour. Then I want him back in that jacket and in my office. I need to be begin the treatment."

"Wha'dya have planned for me doc?" the Joker stared up at him, slightly squinting through his watery eyes. "Some drugs...a little shock therapy perhaps...that would be interesting..."

The doctor sighed heavily. "Whatever is required. I believe we can reform you. I believe you can lead a normal existence."

The man on the floor made a motion as though he was shrugging his shoulders.

"Bold statement doc," he mused, clicking his tongue against his teeth. "But what's normal for you may be insane to a guy like me. I won't however turn down a good shower. I think I've out disgusted even myself....and that takes some doing!"

The doctor shook his head in dismay. "Fine," he threw his glance back at the female guard. "I want him in an hour. And get someone to disinfect this cell."

The doctor's white form disappeared through the cell door and through his watery gaze he saw another two guards appear. He snuffled back laughter as they hauled him to his bare feet. It had been a while since he'd stood and his legs felt weak and full of jelly. He tripped and stumbled down the dim, stone corridor, half supported, half dragged by the burly men at his sides.

He watched Flo's wide rear disappear into a room, which she had had to produce a key to unlock first. After moments she appeared with a bundle of towels, a clean toothbrush and a white cardboard box with a plastic lid.

"This way," she nodded to the guards and they heaved his lanky form down a set of stairs. His legs, numb, folded underneath him weakly and one of the men barked angrily at him.

"Walk dam it! What the hell is the matter with him?"

Flo looked across her broad shoulder. They were in a shower room that on first glance appeared to be more like a massive cage.

"He hasn't eaten for three days," she explained, her voice showing no ounce of concern. Why should she feel for him? He wasn't even passable as a human being. "He's probably weak."

"It's like carrying a dead weight!" the other guard huffed, dragging him across the floor of the shower room. There were eight shower heads lined up in a row, the room purposely built for communal use. They began to wrestle him out of his strait jacket, but like the pain he was he didn't make it an easy task. Eventually he liked the feeling of his arms being free. He lay on his back, stretching them above his head, wiggling his fingers in the air. Then he started to giggle.

"Oh don't start that! Come on clown. _Strip!_" Flo ordered, folding her arms behind her back. The deranged man rolled around on the tiled floor, loving the feeling of sudden freedom.

"I said take your clothes off!" she yelled and that seemed to get his attention. He lifted his neck off the floor, blinking up at her, his crooked mouth curved into a lewd grin.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours Flo?" he laughed wiggling his eyebrows, nervous and excited at the same time. He winked suggestively and Flo threw the two male guards an exasperated stare.

"Just take care of it, will you?" she told them, turning her back and walking towards the white cardboard box that she had placed on the ground when they had come in. There was a lot of grunting and shuffling, but eventually the Joker's wiry, naked form was exposed. He sat in the corner, miserably, his knees pulled up to his chest.

Flo turned back, taking the box and prising the top off. "On your feet, clown!" she ordered.

She had temporarily forgotten her vow of never looking him fully in the eyes. Without breaking her stare, he rose to his feet, all six foot of him. Though skinny, his shoulders were broad, his pale skin stretched over long bones. She noticed he was relatively unmarked, apart from the scars of various lacerations that ran like a map over his stomach and lower back. Someone once upon a time had beaten the hell out of him.

Flo threw the contents of the box in his direction. He screwed up his face as the powered soap stung his skin. She didn't stop until he was coated; like a swizzle stick that you put in hot chocolate.

"Alright, turn them on!" she called. There was an almighty groan and like a breaking dam, jets of water crashed out of the eight faucets. He broke the stream of the gushing torrent with his arms, but there was no way he was staying dry for long. Within seconds he was coughing and spluttering like a kid who hated having his hair washed at bath time. The water mixed with the powdered soap and it bubbled up at his grimy feet. Sweat, grease and dirt ran off him in cascades, taking with it any last scraps of green that clung in his hair.

After what seemed like a lifetime, he appeared to be enjoying it. Flo sighed and tossed him the toothbrush and some paste. She rolled a bottle of shampoo across the tiles towards him.

"Knock yourself out," she muttered turning to Damon, the larger of the two guards. He was watching the whole scene with a mild, morbid interest. His colleague Jeffries had taken the opportunity to leave for a cigarette break.

"Can you imagine anyone curing him?" Damon mused, his arms folded tightly as the Joker began what could only be described as frolicking under the water. He was busy soaping up his long legs and running the shampoo through his green hair.

"Why would anyone want to cure him?" Flo muttered, through gritted teeth. "He should have been sent to black gate if you ask me."

Damon raised his eyebrows. "He would have been dead in a week."

Flo smiled through uneven, small teeth. "My thoughts exactly. Hey...you seen a clean jumpsuit around here?"

Damon groaned. "I'll have to go to the boiler room. You think you'll be alright for a moment?"

Flo pulled a face and tapped the gun on her belt. "My name isn't Forbes. I'm not an idiot."

"Ok. Jeffries should be back any moment."

She gave the clown a few more minutes while Damon had gone. The Joker's head was back, his face being pummelled by the fierce jets of water. His hair was slick to his scalp and he had his mouth open, drinking the water like a dog. He glanced at her sideways and she looked away hurriedly. Her face slightly pink, she turned in the opposite direction. She was hoping that he hadn't caught her openly admiring his form. She had been looking at the muscles in his upper legs, admiring how sculpted they were. The same strength appeared to be there in his upper arms, despite the fact that when clothed, he appeared quite emancipated.

"See something you like, huh Flo?" he laughed, letting the water drip down and over his head, rinsing him clear of any suds. Straightening herself Flo went to the taps, groaning as she pulled the lever towards her. The faucets shut off, leaving the air misty with steam. She threw some clean, dry towels and they landed at his feet.

"Care to do the honours?" he teased, wrapping the towel around his torso. She ignored the heat under her collar. Why had she been so stupid?

"Just get yourself dry," she snapped, fiercer than she needed to be. She didn't hear the sound of his feet moving through water until it was too late. She cried out as her face was encased in the damp towel. The smell of starch and bleach overwhelmed her, but the pain in her head overwhelmed her more. Gasping and choking, a pair of hands around her throat cut off her air supply, forcing her to the ground. Yelping in agony, he kicked her viciously in the stomach and she rolled, unable to breathe. Cold soapy water sunk through her uniform. White hot pain filled her skull as he hit her again.

Her arms flew out and she scratched at his naked skin with her short nails. Eventually when it felt like she would never breathe again, he snatched the towel away. Red faced and spluttering she stared up at him, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

"No!" she gasped. "Don't do this!"

He leered closer to her and instinctively she leaned away and despite the water soaking into her shoes, through her shirt, she was sweating.

He grabbed a fistful of her own black hair and forced her face into a puddle of water. She kicked, coughed and moaned until finally he let up, heaving her back into a sitting position against the wall.

Blinking and still very naked, he skidded closer to her. She flinched when she saw that he had taken the gun from her belt.

"What's the matter Flo?" he smiled crookedly, tapping the hilt of the gun against his knee cap. "I thought you liked me. I thought that after the way you were staring at me...you kind of _liked_ what you saw?"

Fiercely she shook her head, a streak of red blanching her cheeks. He grinned into her face, pinching her round cheeks playfully with his fingers.

"Now now....don't be shy!" he laughed. "There's nothing to be ashamed of. A woman like you in a place like this....no _wonder I_ look good to you...."

"I wasn't looking at you....you can't do this!" she hissed through her teeth. "I can't be the one to let you escape!"

He tilted his head thoughtfully. "Ahh. That's nice of you Flo. To know that you'll miss me when I'm gone."

Panic exploded in her eyes. "Why'd you keep calling me Flo? My name is Laureen!"

The Joker let his tongue trail slowly over his bottom lip, a soft sigh escaping his lips. He silently mouthed her name, over and over, as though he liked the way it tasted on his tongue.

_Laureen, Laureen, Laureen._

"Please," she begged. "This can't happen to me. It can't be me that lets you escape. I don't want it to be me who gets the blame for this!"

Childishly, he patted her fleshy cheeks. "Shush now," his mouth pulled back into a grin. "Don't you worry yourself about that. Just tell them...that I shot you in the head."

It was the expression in her eyes at that moment that he knew he had missed. It was for that reason alone that he did what he did. What he saw in her eyes was more than fear, it was more than desperation. It was disappointment. Almost like a silent question, is that all there is? Is this how I end up?

Laureen knew at that moment she was going to die. The sound of the shotgun echoed around the shower block. It was at that moment that Damon rounded the corner and came upon the naked man staring down at the dead woman, whose blood was curdling with water across the tiled floor.

The Joker lifted his eyes and his gun, emptying another two bullets into the young, dumbfounded guard. The young man slumped to the floor with a thud and the Joker clicked his teeth.

This was why he hated guns. It was too quick. It was over so fast. Knowing that time was severely of the essence, he manhandled Damon out of his damp uniform. He didn't particularly enjoy handling his bloated, pale flesh.

He quickly grappled himself into the uniform, wrinkling his own nose at the strong aftershave scent still clinging to Damon's uniform. The Joker wondered who Damon had been trying to impress. He giggled to himself, thinking that it might be Flo. The thought of the two of them together made him want to gag.

He passed a thin, dirty mirror on his way out of the shower room, admiring at the way the uniform hung on him. It was a little loose, but he'd get out of the building. The shoes were far too tight. Damon had small feet for a guy. He straightened his tie and pushed the name badge back into place.

Confidently with his chin lifted, he strolled through the dingy, dirty corridors of Arkham. It seemed that nobody stopped him, even though he passed three other guards and two doctors. He realised that the turnover of guards must be high in places like this, especially when you had deranged patients biting off their ears or any other extremities they could get a hold of.

Chuckling, he reached a door that had the words 'Rec Room' in bold print on the wood. Turning the handle, he found the room to be deserted. There was a fridge in the corner. His stomach growling, he made a dash for it, seeing various homemade lunches stashed inside. One had a big white sticker on the container which read 'Morellis-dont touch!'

The Joker shrugged and thought how rude it was of Morrelli not to share. What kind of a work place was this? He dug into the Tupperware container and found a corned beef sandwich. Shovelling it greedily, he surveyed the room. It was lined with lockers. Placing the sandwich down for a moment, he forced open a locker, half smiling as he came upon a huge woollen coat. He felt in the pockets after slipping on the coat and pulled out a set of keys. To his amazement, he stared down at the key ring and saw that it had a name tag. It also read 'Morelli'.

"Well how kind of you Morelli," the man laughed to himself. "I'll have to return the favour."

The Joker, hunched over in the massive coat made to leave the Rec room when he saw the newspaper on the table in the middle of the room. He narrowed his eye at the bold headline.

**Mysterious 'Cat Woman' hits Mob Bank**

Ripping the page out of the paper, he shoved it in his pocket. Cat women and men dressed as Bats. What was happening in his town? They needed a guy like him to provide some welcome sanity. He jumped suddenly as if on cue an alarm went off above his head. He narrowed his eyes at the little whirling red light above him and realised that someone had probably come across Flo by now. Turning up his collar he raced through the dimly lit corridor. He saw a young, dark haired nurse racing down towards him. She met his eyes, hers full of terror and confusion, clearly not used to this happening.

"Where do I go?" she grabbed his sleeve as he passed. Groaning inwardly, he turned back and met her frightened gaze. "It's my first day and I don't know where to go!"

He shrugged nonchantly. "Well...I guess down there?" he looked past her, panic rising slightly as more guards appeared in the corridor carrying weapons.

The young woman looked at him pleadingly. "Does this always happen? God, I knew I should have accepted the job at Gotham General!"

The Joker stared down at her pretty, freckly pale face. He pinched her nose playfully and she cocked an eyebrow up at him in surprise.

"Gotham General wouldn't have paid as well, _trust _me!" he grinned, revealing his even, yellowed teeth. It took only seconds for recognition to kick in. And those seconds were all he needed to wrap his arm around the girl's throat. She let out a yelp, alerting the other guards that had been filing in the opposite direction.

"Now why did you have to do that sweetie pie?" the Joker hissed in her ear. "Now I'm going to have to use you as a hostage!"

"Joker!" one of the guards was aiming a shot gun in his direction. "Let her go and drop your weapon!"

He pulled her roughly backwards and she staggered back with him. She wrestled his arm around her throat but his grip only increased.

"Let us leave...or you'll have a very pretty dead nurse on tomorrow's front page," he turned his face down to look at the struggling woman in his grip. "What's your name cutie?"

"Amy," she choked back, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The Joker sniggered, throwing his gaze back upwards towards the vast amount of guards that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"Come on boys," he winked. "Its Amy's first day and she doesn't want to get in trouble. Let us go quietly. I promise not to kill her!"

"Please!" Amy was calling to the guards. "Just let us go!"

She was trembling in his grip, the feeling giving him a major rush of empowerment. "Good girl," he whispered into her dark hair and she shuddered.

The guards reluctantly lowered their weapons and the Joker dragged Amy backwards, her white sneakers squeaking across the floor in protest. In moments, they were out in the fresh air in what looked like a giant parking lot. It was late evening and the air was fresh with recent rain.

"Hey...you know a guy named Morelli?" he hissed at her and she shook her head.

"It's my first day!" she yelled. Sighing, the Joker took out the set of keys in his pocket and pressed the button, holding it in the air. As luck would have it, a grey sedan's lights flicked on as he did so.

"Jack pot!" he grinned, letting a little bubble of laughter escape his lips. Amy struggled as he wrestled her into the passenger's side.

"Cant you let me go?" she cried as he revved the car into action. Growling, he leaned across her roughly and grabbed her seat belt. She leaned away instinctively as he clicked her belt into place, giving it a tug for good measure.

"You want to get us a ticket?" he shot at her and laughed when she pulled a face at him. The car roared as he raced it out of the parking lot. He was giggling maniacally as he tore through the barrier, ignoring the stunned expression of the guard there. He sped through the alley ways until he reached the second bridge, a huge metal structure that had been built in the sixties to link Gotham's old town to its upmarket, lavish and minimalist designs of the new town. The bridge crossed the east river, a slick oily expanse of water that stretched from Gotham to the ocean.

Amy screamed as he drove the car dangerously close to the barrier. Other cars screeched and honked their horns. The sedan dodged the oncoming traffic, missing other speeding cars by mere fractions. Amy, terrified and white closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands.

She scrambled away furiously as the Joker leaned across her, his face too near to hers as he threw open her passenger door. It hit the barrier and with electric sparks flying in the air and a horrible crunching noise, it was torn loose. The Joker's hand travelled across the girl's lap to where the belt was fastened securely into place.

The girl's eyes widened in terror, knowing full well what he planned to do. Her own hands reached for his, trying desperately to wrestle them away. For a brief moment it seemed to work. He couldn't keep hold of the car and fight her off at the same time. Then it was all over. Their eyes locked briefly.

"It was a pleasure Amy," he smiled crookedly. He pressed down hard to release the belt and at once it whipped freely past her face. Giving her a wink, he shoved her hard and fast, her eyes wild and frightened as she tumbled free of the car. The speed they were travelling carried her loose and her body hit the barrier with such a dull thud that even he winced on her behalf.

As his car sped away into the night, the nurse fell through the night sky and into the dark water below. Her body hit the water with such a slap that it nearly rendered her unconscious. And for a while she was content that way. She appeared to be floating down stream, her body lost to her senses.

Then someone was standing above her. She felt mild pain as she was being dragged onto the river bank. She felt the dirt ground sliding beneath her and then saw another face.

Amy was fairly sure it was a woman, dressed in a black suit.

"Are you alright?" the woman cried. "Talk to me!"

Amy's body had endured massive internal injuries when she had hit that barrier with such horrendous force. The young woman stared up at the sky, her eyes unseeing.

"The Joker," was all she said. Blood pooled at the side of her mouth, gurgling up like a stream before she died in the woman's arms.

Selina rested the body of the nurse back on the bank of the river. Sweating and now soaking wet, she ripped off her mask.

The Joker had escaped again. Selina threw her mask down into the mud and sat crossed legged next to the dead girl. She couldn't be here when the cops arrived. Flashing lights whirling over the bridge told her that wouldn't be too long.

"Dam it," she hissed through her teeth, careful not to forget the mask that had protected her identity for the last couple of weeks. She stood and headed up the river bank, her boots filled with dirty river water. A cop car was making its way down the dirt track to the river's edge, its siren filling the sky.

Selina turned and ran into the night, as if she had never been there at all. She really wished that she hadn't.

////

The Joker felt very little as he drove the car into a quiet, unused area of the Gotham narrows. He knew this area well. He'd grown up here. He didn't think about the young woman he'd killed as he parked the car between two large cargo crates. The ocean was nearby. He pushed the seat back, relaxing and arching his torso. He briefly remembered her frightened dark eyes and he smiled. Sometimes people just got in the way. He hadn't intended to kill her. What should he have done? Parked the car and given her a pat on the head before sending her off back to the cops?

Shrugging he peeled the piece of newspaper out of his coat pocket and read it eagerly. So this Cat character was hitting the Mob banks of Gotham, hitting them where it really stung. He almost smiled. She sounded like someone he could work with. But for now he needed people he could work with. He needed to do some fast recruitment.

He leaned back and closed his eyes.

"Gee but I'd give the world to see....that old gang of mine..." he sang softly through his teeth, whistling out the remainder of the old tune. God only knew where he'd even heard that one. Before drifting off into a peaceful sleep, he thought of the blonde woman in the courtroom. He thought of what a fine looking woman she'd grown into and how he would look forward to seeing _her _again. He had thought of nothing but her and the Bat for six whole weeks.

"...that old gang of mine..." he sang, shifting restlessly, in his hunched position.

The Joker hoped _that _wouldn't be too much longer. He wasn't a patient man.


	22. Business as Usual

**Hi everyone. Thank you to all that have taken the time to review. As always please let me know what you think.**

**Business as Usual**

Selina's boots hit the tiled roof with a clunk. She grappled with the slick tiles between her fingers, hauling herself across the brick roof top, the air whooshing through her teeth as she landed on the other side with a thud. She let herself feel the pain, but only for a moment. Her breath catching in her throat she stared up at the night sky, her chest rising and falling quickly.

"Dam Bat!" she muttered, her teeth clenched. God it hurt so much. Crawling to her feet, she stretched her arms above her head, the muscles aching and trembling from having to support her body weight. She felt a light breeze on her thigh and stared down at the almighty rip that had been sliced through the suit. The suit that had only arrived in the office yesterday. Holly was going to be angry. It was lucky that they had ordered six.

Selina winced. "Dam Bat!" she hissed again. She fingered the gash, realising too late that he had cut her this time. Blood was trickling steadily down her leg and into her boot.

Limping slightly, Selina peered over the roof's edge. It was a miracle that she had lost him at all. The man was like a tracking hound. He just seemed to know where she was going to be.

"Leaving?" a voice came on the air, floating out to her and Selina froze in her tracks. It was deep and gravely. In the last few weeks, she had come to know it well. Hands on hips, she turned to face him. The mere sight of him always made her suck in her breath.

He was so much bigger than her. It seemed that he loomed over her and she could see why others feared him. His shape cut against the night sky, immense and frightening, like something from a children's bed time story. His cape flowed behind him in the midnight breeze. In the darkness she could sense his eyes on her form. She could see that he was looking at her leg.

"You're hurt," it wasn't a question. Selina sighed.

"No thanks to you," she replied tightly. "Maybe you should let this one slide?"

He made a noise which sounded like a laugh, if it was possible that a man like him had a sense of humour. Selina doubted it.

"Hmm. Because you're a poor defenceless woman?" he joked but it didn't sound funny.

Selina balked at that. "I wouldn't say poor...not after last night. Defenceless, _no_. But maybe you haven't got the energy for me tonight?"

"Your wounded," he reminded her darkly. "You don't have the energy to get off this roof, let alone fight me. It's going to come to an end you know? Jim Gordon will find out who you are."

Selina nodded, realising that her breathing had become shallow. The Bat was right, she was exhausted. He'd chased her for three miles. But she wasn't going to let him see that.

"If it's any consolation," he said and she noticed the sharp intake of breath in his voice. "You got me too."

He let his gloved hand move to his ribcage, revealing the slight slash in the rubber, just under his left ribs. It was the most vulnerable place of his suit, she had come to learn. It was the only place that wasn't coated in that odd armour plating, allowing him to bend and flex more easily.

Selina clicked her tongue in satisfaction. "Well, it'll do for now."

She hated to admit that it had given her a secret little jolt to have been that close to him. Close enough that she could smell him. They had fought in the alley below and she'd kept him at bay for as long as she could manage. He was far more powerful than she'd ever dreamed. He'd slashed her leg and in return she'd swiftly produced her fighting dagger, sinking it into the soft skin under his ribcage. She remembered how firm his flesh had been under that suit and how he had growled in pain.

"I don't know why you're doing this," he began, taking a step closer. It was close enough. Selina shifted uneasily on her high heels. "But you're playing a dangerous game. It won't take long for the Falcone family to realise that they are being targeted. I would watch yourself."

Selina let her red lips pull into a smile. "How sweet. You're worried about me?"

"They have a habit of making people disappear. And you've hit three of their banks in the last few weeks. Last night was the final straw. Benito Falcone took up as head of the family in Carmine's absence. He is...a very cruel man."

Selina lifted her chin, forcing away his words. She pretended that what he said didn't frighten her.

"I know how to take care of myself," she hissed at him. He seemed to flinch and she found herself wondering at how much pain he was actually concealing. The cool night breeze washed over her face and she found she was growing tired. The pain in her leg was worsening.

"Does it hurt?" he read her face.

Selina threw back her head. "No," she wanted to crumple to the ground. Her eyes grew watery.

"I've wondered about you," the Bat, relentless continued on and Selina edged closer to the roof's edge. Out of the corner of her eye she guessed the distance and the speed she would have to run if she wanted to jump to the neighbouring roof. It was flat and slick with rain water, but she guessed she could make it, if she threw her whole body behind the jump.

"I've wondered why a woman would put herself through all this....is it money...notoriety?"

She let the words hang in the void between them. Finally she lifted her head.

"I thought you of all people might understand," she pulled her lips back into a fierce grin. "Isn't it always about getting even?"

Before he let his retort slip from his mouth, Selina was running full pelt across the roof top. Clenching her stomach muscles and making her body lithe and flat, she launched into the air, curling her legs under her, reflexively rolling as her feet landed solidly on the other roof. Without pausing for breath she kept running, her heart hammering, straining against her rib cage.

She had gone two blocks before collapsing behind a dumpster in an alley way, realising that he hadn't followed her. Grimly, she surveyed the damage to her thigh. It was still leaking fresh blood and she knew that she would have to stitch it up herself. She took the short cut across the roof tops, until she landed on her own apartment building. She wound her body through the metal ladders, finding the fire escape stair well. She carefully eased off her high boots, knowing she had to go down three sets of stairs to reach her back window. Finally she hooked herself through her bedroom window, breathing rapidly.

Sweating, she unzipped the black rubber suit. It got so hot and uncomfortable after a while and she hated the way she smelled after wearing it. Wincing in pain, she dragged her wounded leg across the tiled floor of her bathroom, lurching at the sight of the blood pooling on the clean floor. She reached behind the shower curtain, letting the water cascade from the jets, the room filling with comforting steam.

Crying out she hauled herself into the tub, the hot jets of water washing away the evidence of her crimes, stinging her skin. It was still going to be a long night and she had yet to repair her own wound. Patching herself up had been one of the only useful things living with Elliot had taught her. Afterwards, she lay damp and naked on her bed, panting from the pain she was in. Selina crawled under the covers, her body willing her into a restless sleep.

Selina didn't wake until she heard Holly pounding on her front door. Blinking she stared at her bedside clock, which was rudely flashing the time at her. It was ten am. On trembling arms she heaved herself into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes.

There was another loud at the door. "Selina are you there? Answer me I'm getting freaked out!"

"I'm here!" she croaked hoarsely. "There's a spare under the mat."

Within moments she heard wild shuffling outside her apartment door. Then the door banged open and Holly Truman, red faced and anxious was standing at the foot of her bed. Holly was also clutching a copy of the 'Gotham Times' in her hand. Selina let her eyes wander to the headline, squinting as she tried to read it.

"Did I make the front page?" she grinned and Holly threw the paper across the bed in annoyance.

"Look at you!" she cried, trying to keep her voice low. "You look awful. What the hell happened to you last night?"

Selina winced. Holly's voice always tended to raise a few octaves when she was upset.

"Don't go in the bathroom!" Selina cried when Holly began picking up Selina's ripped discarded outfit from the previous night, but it was too late. Holly banged open the bathroom door and shrieked.

"It's everywhere!" she cried. "Why were you bleeding?"

Selina pulled back the covers and revealed her injured leg. "I ran into the Bat."

Holly, open mouthed perched on the end of the bed. She was silently shaking her head from side to side. "Are you alright?" she asked at last.

"I'm fine!" Selina lied easily. "It was just a scrape and I got him pretty good too."

Holly took the newspaper and spread it out across the bed clothes. The bold headline stared up at them. It read 'Cat Strikes Again. Gordon closing in'.

"It says that the commissioner of police has made it his personal goal to try and bring you in," Holly's voice was scared and deflated. "Selina....this has to stop!"

Selina shrugged. "If this town isn't chasing after a Bat or a Clown then they are going to come after me. I'm stealing from Mob banks Holly. And the money....ends up in a better place."

Holly raised an eyebrow. Selina had refused to discuss exactly where she had stashed the rather large fortune she had already procured, not to mention what she intended to do with it all.

Holly inched closer. "But, Selina. This is going to get more dangerous. How much longer are you going to keep this up? If Gordon doesn't get you...the Bat will!"

Selina sighed and heaved herself upright. Holly reached forward and placed a large scatter cushion behind her friend's head. Selina reached out and touched the woman's hand briefly before replacing it under the bedclothes.

"When I was out last night I found out something. I was listening to two of Falcone's men as they were loading up one of their trucks. They have one more bank that I haven't hit yet, the fourth bank of Gotham on the east side. Tonight they are going to transfer over eight million dollars to a safe hold in the narrows before I can get to it. I think I know where that warehouse is....I grew up around that area."

Holly's eyes creased at the corners with worry. "So you'll wait for them to deposit the money and take it right out of their hands?"

"Exactly!" Selina smiled triumphantly. "Far easier than robbing a bank!"

Holly momentarily closed her eyes. She didn't want to think too much on how her friend had managed to hold up three banks, without getting as much as a scratch on her. Selina had no technological help; she had no clever devices that exploded open locks or vaults on safe doors. Selina used purely her wit, her grace and agility to get in and out without being detected. These were the biggest banks in Gotham and they hadn't even managed to capture any CCTV footage of her, she was that quick.

Holly had never known at how skilled, strong and athletic her beautiful friend really was. Years of hardship and learning the trade from Elliot had no doubt helped with her cunning. But her training, her balance and poise and her strength she had gained elsewhere. Selina didn't often talk of her training days in Thailand, only that it turned her into the woman she was today. In Thailand she had required the skills that allowed her to become and effective ninja, a deadly assassin who was able to disappear into the night like a shadow. Not that Holly imagined that Selina had ever killed anyone, but if she wanted to she knew how to make it fast and as painless for the victim as possible.

Over the last couple of years Selina had collected tools for her use. She had a vast collection of daggers, fighting stars and her most beloved swords that she wore crossed over her shoulder blades in a belt that wrapped around under her ribcage. Holly wandered to the kitchen and flicked on the kettle, letting it boil. When she came back with the tea, Selina was fast asleep again, propped up against the pillows. Holly made a start of clearing up the bathroom, gagging inwardly at the smell of copper from the blood on the white tiles.

When she was done, she viciously scrubbed her own hands, Selina's blood drying into the cracks of her palms. Holly hung up the remains of the body suit, chewing her lip. They had only ordered six and they had been specially ordered from Teijin. The suit was constructed from a special weave called Twaron. It was a chemically made fibre that allowed the wearer to bend and twist with ease. It was also supposed to be waterproof and pretty much damage proof. Selina had obviously proved that theory wrong last night. Selina hadn't wanted a traditional Taiwanese female Ninja suit when they had discussed what to order. Those original designs, though very iconic left very little to the imagination and Selina didn't want to look like something out of an Anime. They were also pretty flimsy and wouldn't have stood up to a round with an angry puppy let alone, Batman.

Holly let Selina snooze for a while longer, tip toeing around her apartment, cleaning up the empty packets of bandages and bloody cotton wads. Holly winced when she thought of Selina stitching up her own wound. That must have taken some self control.

When it hit one o clock in the afternoon, Holly pulled back Selina's curtains and pushed up the window to let in some fresh air, the room had begun to smell stale and coppery. Holly nudged her friend awake.

"Ok!" Selina groaned. "You go downstairs...I'll be up in a minute!"

Selina spent half an hour getting ready, brushing out her tangled mess of hair and applying some much needed makeup. She layered concealer under her eyes, raising an eyebrow at herself in the mirror. She looked like a woman who had been partying too much. Her skin was pale and her eyes red rimmed. After furiously applying blusher, Selina hurried into some casual clothes, a soft blue cotton shirt and some slacks. Her blonde hair loose, she limped down the narrow stair way and pushed open the gallery door.

Frowning, she heard a male voice in the shop front and could clearly make out Holly's recognisable voice talking back at him. Lazily, Selina ventured to the coffee pot in the store room. She heard the footsteps moving across the polished floor towards her, groaning inwardly. She really wasn't in the mood for customers right now and she hardly looked the part. She guessed how long it would take for them to reach her across the shop, since getting back into 'work' her senses had been much keener.

Abruptly she turned, remembering to plaster on her red lipped smile and did a double take. Holly was grinning sheepishly as she stood aside to let the tall, dark haired gentleman ease past her.

"Uh, Selina. This is Bruce Wayne," she introduced him. He was smiling. Bruce Wayne had one of those remarkable faces. It appeared as though it had been chipped lovingly away out of stone, with his strong jaw, high chiselled cheekbones, low brow and firm mouth. At times he looked quietly serious and pensive, but when he smiled, his whole face lightened and the effect was so boyishly charming that it could quite easily throw you off balance.

Selina swallowed, wishing that she had bothered more with her makeup. She wished that she had put on a more flattering outfit. In fact she wished that she hadn't come downstairs. As he approached he held out his hand and she noticed the slight limp in his walk. It didn't take a genius to work out he'd been injured.

"You're hurt?" she raised an eyebrow at him, smiling and taking his warm hand in her cool one. His won eyebrows flew up in surprise. He touched his hand to the area below his ribs.

"Uh, yes," he laughed. "A rather intense game of racket ball I'm afraid."

Selina nodded her head teasingly. "I hear that can be quite a violent sport. What can I do for you Mr. Wayne?"

Selina rebuked herself for her clipped tone. Mentally she told herself to make her voice sweeter. She caught Holly giving her the death glare. She slowly unfolded her arms, leaning back against the fax photocopier.

"Can I get you a coffee Mr. Wayne?" Holly asked timidly from behind and he nodded eagerly.

"I was hoping that you could show me some of the work you have here. I think I mentioned that my home in the palisades is being rebuilt and thankfully it's nearly done."

Selina opened her arm out to show him back into the main shop. He followed her, his eyes narrowing at her own limp. Furiously she blushed.

"I tripped up the stairs to my apartment," she smiled and allowing herself to laugh. "I have no balance at all and the stairs are so narrow!"

"I have a fantastic doctor I can recommend if it doesn't get any better," he offered kindly, his hands shoved firmly into his suit pockets. Selina waved away his concern.

"That's really nice of you, thanks. So I bet you'll be glad to get back to the peace and quiet of the countryside?" she changed the subject swiftly and he nodded.

"I don't tend to get much peace and quiet wherever I am...but it's my family home and I have missed it."

Selina remembered the feel of pulling into Wayne Manor all those years ago. It was a sight you didn't forget in a hurry. Bruce walked slightly ahead of her, his neck stretched to view some of the bigger pieces that were hung higher up.

"That one reminds me of one we had in our hallway," he mused. Selina came and stood by him.

"Really? It's an Italian piece. The Artist died a few years back but his work was mostly sold in Tuscany and Florence," she explained. She was stood close enough to smell his cologne and she groaned inwardly.

He turned to her and gave her one of his startling smiles. "Well that makes sense. My father loved Tuscany. He took my mother there on their honeymoon."

Selina had to stop herself from replying that yes, she knew all about that because she had listened to the same story from Mr. Pennyworth at the fundraiser. She closed her lips around her words, content to just stare at his strong profile. She could fee heat rising under her shirt collar and instinctively took a step back. This wasn't good. She was reacting like a cat on heat.

Thankfully Holly appeared behind them with two steaming mugs of coffee. Bruce raised the cup to his lips, careful not to take his eyes off Selina. Selina pressed her lips together, her face furiously pink and turned away, not wanting him to see her obvious attraction.

"How much is that one?" he nodded upwards and Selina exhaled.

"Its eight thousand dollars," she answered crisply and he shrugged.

"That's great. Do you have any more like that? I have so many bare walls to fill."

Selina swallowed, stunned at how easily he parted with money. She liked him even more.

"I have a few in storage, but I can easily source more from my supplier in Italy. They can be here in a couple of weeks. But I wouldn't want you to part with your money before you actually saw them. I can get them scanned and email the pictures across to you?" she offered and he raised his shoulders in a non committal shrug.

"I can see you have good taste and I trust your judgement," he complimented and Selina raised her eyebrows.

"Are you sure?" she probed. "That's quite a lot of trust!"

Bruce was downing the last of his coffee and she marvelled at how he could even drink it so hot. She could barely touch her own yet. He appeared to be thinking something over. Finally he looked up, holding the mug in both hands.

"Well how about this? Why don't I pick you up tomorrow afternoon and we can go to Wayne Manor together. My butler will be there and he can fix us dinner. I'll have my lap top and we can have a look at the pictures and decide where they'll go best in the house? How does that sound?"

Selina had become aware that her legs had weakened and her breathing had become a little erratic. What the hell was this affect he had on her? She had to marvel at his style at the same time. He'd managed to fix up a whole afternoon _and _dinner with her, without making it sound like a date at all. He made it sound like it was business.

"That's sounds...great!" she answered at last and he grinned. He handed her back the mug.

"My car will be here at...say three?"

"Wonderful....I hope your rib gets better," she flung the last comment out as he was heading for the door and instantly realised what a moron she sounded. He threw her a smile across his broad shoulder.

"Don't go falling up any stairs!" he chuckled and she felt her heart deflate.

_He thinks I'm a moron_, she wailed in her head. _I hope your rib gets better?! You idiot!_

"Oh my goodness," Holly breathed, suddenly appearing at her side. They were both staring at the door, as if at any moment Bruce Wayne was going to come back through it. "I think I love him."

Both women burst into fits of laugher. When Selina finally gained some composure she straightened up, wincing at the sudden slice of pain bolting up her thigh.

"Did you hear the things I said to him?" she laughed nervously, hopping to the leather chair behind their antique desk in the shop front. "That man should wear a warning label. 'Beware. Loss of speech will occur!'"

Holly giggled, perching on the edge of the desk. "He's sure a fast worker. So you'll be going to Wayne Manor?"

"I know!" Selina grinned excitedly. She noticed that Holly was urging towards something. Holly leaned a little nearer, her brow furrowed with worry.

"Then shouldn't you call off tonight? What if something happens to you?"

Selina sighed. "It's going to be alright. I promise!"

Holly wasn't budging. Her hands were working nervously in her lap.

"But isn't this _why _we came to Gotham? You are on the verge of becoming involved with one of the richest men in the _world._ If something goes wrong tonight..."

Selina stood, grimacing but she managed. "This is it Holly. After tonight, it's all over. But I can't let this one slide. Right now....this is what's important!"

Holly screwed up her face in disagreement. "A revenge gig? Selina...can't you let it go? You're hurt."

Selina could feel the raw edges of her nerves fraying. She knew it was mostly pain and lack of sleep that was causing it and she didn't really want to lose her temper with her best friend.

She made her voice quiet and as calm as she could manage. "This is more than revenge. Rene Falcone..._.that _family... took more from me than just a home. They took my parents. They took my future. And they burned me alive. You want to see my scars? I have to look at them every day."

Holly exhaled loudly through her teeth and held up her hands. "OK! Just please, call me if you get into trouble?"

Selina smiled at her friend and promised that she would.


	23. Twelve Hours

**Hi all. I just wanted to say before you read this, that this chapter was quite hard for me to write. I'm not a big fan of torture and it actually makes me go really odd when I ever see any in films or on tv. I really find it hard to digest and I find it so uncomfortable. Having said that, this was exactly the feeling I wanted to get across in this chapter. Selina gets a bit battered in this chapter. Please, please let me know what you think. I hope it isnt too harsh, but it is important for the story that this had to happen.**

**Twelve Hours**

Selina tasted blood. Despite the filthy rag pressed into her mouth, the bitter coppery taste of her own blood in her throat made her want to vomit. She had struggled to keep from retching, her stomach muscles tight and sore. Her throat was raw from tears. It was hoarse from screaming.

Yet no one had heard her. In the darkness, she could hear nothing but a dull, throbbing, which she knew was the blood rushing in her ears. She whimpered against the gag, closing her eyes, hot tears mingling with the stale ones already long dry on her face.

She wondered if Holly was sitting up waiting for her. She wondered if she was worried. Selina felt her stomach lurch at her own stupidity, her thoughts returning to earlier that afternoon, not even twelve hours ago, when she had faithfully promised her friend that should anything happen, she would contact her.

The journey to the narrows had been easy. She had walked those dark, narrow passageways before, having spent a great deal of her youth hiding in them. She had found the warehouse on east street. It was a towering, abandoned block that used to be a shoe factory in the thirties. It held its place right on the east river, not far from the river bank that Selina had been on the night the Joker had escaped. The same river bank that she had dragged that poor young woman up, before she had died choking on her own blood. Selina had regretted having to leave the girl in the cold, her dead body saturated with river water and mud.

Maybe this is my payback, Selina thought dimly, blinking back tears. Why had they left her in the dark? Where _were _they?

Selina had become like shadow, perched like a statue on the metal stair case that ran up the outside of the building. With bated breath, she had waited for the van to arrive, her heart fluttering in her chest like a nervous bird as lights appeared around the corner. The van pulled up and three men got out. They were armed with shotguns. Smiling confidently to herself, she waited as they unloaded the back of the van.

One of the men was tall, gangly with greasy black hair. One was short, stocky but powerful with a savage expression on his face. The last man was of medium height and red haired. He didn't appear to have any strength in his upper body; he huffed and panted as he unloaded the sacks, doing less than the others.

Selina narrowed her eyes at the cargo and licked her lips greedily. That was more than eight million! When the last of the sacks were unloaded they disappeared inside the warehouse. The short one called for the red head to throw him the keys. It seemed an age before they locked up and climbed back inside the van.

Selina was already inside the building as they pulled away. She inched her body through an upper window that had lost its glass pane and instead was boarded. Clinging to the frame inside the darkened factory, she swung her legs in the empty space, bracing herself for the hard landing. Her boots hit the floor but she stumbled, cursing as she smashed into something glass, feeling it splinter then shatter beneath her body weight.

Growling angrily to herself, she reached for her belt for the torch, realising too late that once again she was bleeding from where she'd skidded on the glass. She pulled a shard out from her elbow, the fabric of her suit sliced open like butter.

It suddenly occurred to her that she would have to procure transport to get the money and herself out of the narrows. Selina shrugged, it wasn't like she had never hotwired a car before. And she was sure she'd seen an abandoned Sedan parked between two cargo holds a ways back. That would have to do.

It was at that point everything had gone horribly wrong. She had heard someone breathing behind her, but she was too late. And now tied to a chair in the darkness, she scolded herself. She had been too cocky, too over confident.

Selina had not had time to dodge the blow. She heard someone chuckling as she dropped to her knees and she heard what she thought was the striking of a match.

The man who spoke next had a slight accent. "Well looks like we caught a little rabbit in our trap."

Someone seized her head, their fingers gripping painfully into the locks of hair that were concealed under the mask. In a moment that mask was pulled off, her blonde mane free and hanging around her face. Selina let forth a cry, a great gust of air escaping her mouth as pain, white hot, exploded in her side.

She rolled away from the attackers boot, but not quick enough. He struck again and Selina screamed in agony. He had kicked too near her spine.

"A woman," the accented male said and she registered the amusement in his voice. Selina could smell his cigarette smoke. "Call Falcone and tell him we have his little cat burglar. I'll tie her up."

When the first assailant walked away, Selina was on her feet. It felt like her insides were coming apart but she had to _move_. She heard the thud of a wooden club smack across the back of her head but it felt like the pain came much later. Weak and disorientated she dropped to the ground, her face hitting the cold hard floor.

Through watery eyes she saw the cigarette smoking man stroll nearer to her. From the light of his cigarette, she could make out his leather shoes. They were impeccably shiny and clean an odd thing to notice at such a time. Selina passed out on the cold ground. She didn't remember being hauled to her feet. She didn't remember being tied roughly to a chair.

But she remembered waking up in the dark. Gasping for air, Selina had struggled. Her mask was gone, her weapons had vanished and she was completely vulnerable. There was a gag in her mouth. She could feel her nose and eyes running. She tried to move her feet but they too were bound to the legs of the chair.

Wildly looking around her for anything she could use, she rocked the chair. She waited for her eyes to adjust. She guessed that it had to be nearing two in the morning. Eventually her eyes adjusted. The space around her appeared to be a vast void. Whatever factory equipment they had stored here, it had gone long ago. There were some large boxes stacked in the corner, which almost reached the upper windows, not too far from where she had originally slipped in. Selina told herself that when she had her chance that would be where she would head for, that would be how she got out.

Her skin tingling from the sweat cooling on her body, she tried to steady her breathing. She had been foolish, so completely stupid. She remembered Batman's warning. She almost laughed. What if he were the one to rescue her? Was it possible that he could be roaming nearby? She doubted it.

Selina wiggled her toes and fingers, anything to stop her body from going to sleep. She had to stay awake and ready. The pain in her head was causing a problem. It throbbed, the pain building and then ebbing away and she could feel blood drying on the back of her neck. It hurt to twist her body, it hurt to breathe. How many times had that man kicked her? She had lost track. But then maybe it was better that way.

When it seemed like an age had past, she grew frantic. She sobbed and moaned through the gag, letting out her fear in one large bite. Get it out now, she told herself. Because she had a feeling that what was coming could be so much worse.

Distantly, she heard the crunch of wheels over the ground. Car headlights flooded the void through the factory windows. Selina blinked against the glare, her heart lurching into her chest. The doors were flung open and she heard the sound of footsteps on the cold ground. She counted at least four sets.

"Lights!" came another male voice, again accented but not as heavily as the first man. The accent was a smooth Italian American and it sounded like the voice belonged to someone who had lived here most of his life. The many residents of Gotham City had a variety of accents depending on what part of the city you hailed from. But they all had that slightly flat quality, sort of expressionless. Gothamites sounded serious at all times.

There was an electrical buzzing and Selina squinted as the factory was illuminated in bright, florescent light. When they adjusted to the sudden assault she could make out the four men standing in front of her. Three of them were the men from the van earlier; the other was a tall, broad shouldered man in a crisp grey suit. His jet black hair was slicked back and greying in patches above his ears. Selina placed him at around forty. His face was leathered and tanned, too tanned for a Gotham resident. He had on a large black overcoat, which was so long that it nearly touched the floor. He was taking off his gloves.

"So this is the famous...Cat Woman?" he chuckled, his voice clipped. He put the gloves in his coat pocket and shrugged out of his coat, handing it to one of his lackeys behind him. "What a pretty little blonde thing you are."

Selina flinched as he came closer. He knelt in front of her, so close that she could see the grey flecks in his eyebrows. She arched away and he pulled a face.

"Now why are you so shy all of a sudden? I thought you liked the limelight. You wanted my attention girl...and now you have me all to yourself. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Selina felt saliva gurgling up in the back of her throat. She struggled to breath and the man carefully took the knot out of her mouth. To her surprise and revulsion, he took a handkerchief from his breast pocket and carefully, tenderly cleaned away the spit on her chin.

Selina threw her head back and he laughed. It was a callous noise, so cold and unfeeling. A shiver ran unexpectedly down her back.

"Isn't that more comfortable baby?" he crooned. He tucked a bloody strand of her blonde hair behind her ear, making her flinch. "I wanted to hear your voice anyway. Tell me...why have you been stealing from me?"

Selina stared at him and then forced her faded red lips into a smile. "It's not _your _money."

"Let me introduce myself...I'm Benito Falcone. And yes, miss that money is very much _mine_. My family and I don't take kindly to being humiliated."

Selina's eyes were watery and dull. She knew that soon something worse was going to happen to her.

"The days of your _family_ are over Falcone," she hissed through clenched teeth. "Jim Gordon will take up where Harvey Dent left off and soon all your connections and your vile hold over this town will be over. There will always be someone to take their place no matter how you knock them down!"

He raised an amused eyebrow. "Like _you?_ A little girl in black Lycra? That's the thing I love about women. You're all so...breakable."

The words sent a jolt through her body and she clenched back tears. He raised his large hand and let it hover slightly over her loose hair. Finally he dropped his hand, its warmth on her skull almost comforting. Selina fought for her composure. With eyes tightly closed she willed her heart beat to a steady rhythm.

He stood rising to his full height, which was well over six foot. Selina let her eyes wander upwards until she met his cold, black ones, staring down at her vaguely amused.

"I have never done this to a woman before," he said quietly and to her horror she watched as he began to un button his shirt sleeves. He shrugged off his suit jacket and rolled up his sleeves to reveal thick, toned arms.

She saw his fist ball up; she arched backwards but rocked in agony as it collided with her breast bone. Gasping for air she rocked backwards. It was like someone had thrown a filmy curtain over her eyes. Everything was pale and grey. His face clenched, he swung again, this time his fist caught her below her ribs. The pain was sharp, wrenching a heartfelt scream from her throat.

Selina knew he had hit her twice more, but the pain was everywhere, so vast that she couldn't pin point where it was. He pulled back and massaged his knuckles with his other hand.

"I'm getting old miss," he said, his chin lowered to his chest. "This hurts me too. If you would be kind enough to just tell me where my money is...this will all be over."

Selina felt spit gathering in her mouth and she swallowed hard. "By that you mean putting me at the bottom of that river out there?"

He laughed. "Sense of humour and pretty too? Well...it's probably better than what we have planned if you won't tell me!"

Selina smiled crookedly despite the pain. "Drop dead."

Benito threw his body weight back on his left left leg, raising his right in the air, bringing it close to his chest. The force of his boot in her clavicle sent the entire chair rocking backwards and then Selina was staring up at the ceiling, stars exploding in her vision from cracking her head on the concrete.

She heard his footsteps as he walked around her. He grabbed the chair legs and with a grunting noise, pulled it back up. Selina rocked her head light and fuzzy.

"Look at that pretty face of yours," he mused. "Isn't it nice of me to leave it alone? That's what I am, a true gentleman. It would be like defacing a work of art. But my sister...she isn't as nice as I am."

Selina suddenly choked, brought back into the hard reality of the factory. His _sister_?

"She's the one who does the...what do we call it...wet work," Benito snatched up a handful of her hair and stretched her neck back to stare up at him, revealing her taught white throat. He lowered his face to hers. "You see...I just don't have the stomach for it. But my little sis, she's just fine. I can't even think about some of the stuff she's done. Men, women...kids younger than you. It's about protecting your family you see."

A tear escaped her left eye and Benito watched it dribble down her pale throat. He took his thumb and trailed it down over her clavicle bone, which was still pounding from where he'd kicked her in the chest.

"You know....there is something about you kitten," he said at last. "I don't think you'll cave into me, no matter how persuasive I am. I think you need special attention."

Selina choked her throat dry and sore. This couldn't be happening. She was about to be tortured by the very woman who used to teach her math! It was so absurd that she started to laugh.

Benito threw her a quizzical glare before motioning to the red haired man with his fingers. He whispered something to him and the man nodded, disappearing out of the factory. Pulling her head back straight, Selina watched as someone else came in through the factory doors. The woman was tall and slim, with her grey hair neat in a bun at the nape of her neck.

Rene was older, but she still had that same cold, stony expression. The woman was carrying a briefcase and Selina didn't want to think about what was in it. At that moment Selina's mind seemed to crack in half. No one was coming for her. This time she was really alone. And she was going to die here, alone and nobody would ever know why. Nobody would ever ask.

She would never see Holly or laugh with her again, and Selina felt so sorry for the pain she was going to cause her friend. She would never see Jonah in the store. And she wouldn't get her date with Bruce Wayne.

Rene's heels clicked as she strolled across the floor. If she recognised Selina, she didn't appear to let it show in her face. The older woman was wearing an expensive pressed suit and Selina could smell her soft, exotic perfume. It reminded her one that Mrs. Wayne wore years ago and Selina wondered why she was bringing up that memory now. Rene put the brief case on the floor and clicked it open, revealing various shiny, metal appliances inside.

Selina made a choked noise and her former nurse glanced up at her, amused. Selina wondered what had made her turn to this life after her years at Humberside.

"Oh, this isn't for much later and I'm hoping we'll have what we need before having to use any of this on you," her voice was as cold as Selina remembered. She looked over her shoulder at Benito who was busy discussing something with the other men.

"Didn't you say that she had her own weapons?" Rene snapped and Benito motioned with his eyes to the sack on the floor. Rene bent to the sack and riffled through it, taking out one of Selina's steel fighting stars. They were used to disarm long distance, travelling through the air at speed, but they were dangerously sharp.

Selina's eyes widened as Rene walked towards her. "Let's start light."

Rene took the star in her hand; clenching her jaw she then dragged the star in a rolling motion up one of Selina's arms. Selina whimpered, and then let out a cry as the ice sharp steel sliced through the fabric of her suit and the tender flesh underneath. Scarlett liquid pooled from the welts then drained freely down her arms. Selina could feel her warm blood running through the fabric of the suit. Without pause, Rene repeated the movement on the other arm and Selina went white hot. She screamed and tried to viciously lash out with her legs.

"Hmm," Rene said quietly. "So would you like to tell us where you've hidden our money?"

Selina growled and shook her head. "_Is that all you've got...I thought you were a Falcone_?"

Rene raised her eyebrow and danced the star, now growing thick with dried blood in front of her face. She tore it across Selina's torso and then lashed it down her legs, her calves and her feet. The only noise in the room was the sound of Selina's moans and tearing flesh. Benito looked on, clearly uncomfortable.

Rene placed the star back in the sack. The woman in the chair was bent double, her breathing erratic but shallow. She couldn't give up now. She watched as Rene ducked to the floor and picked up some shards of broken glass, which had been shattered earlier when Selina had fallen.

Running her tongue across her dry lips, Rene gazed down at the younger woman.

"You look oddly familiar, you know," she was talking as though they were having a coffee morning, just two girls chatting. "Have we met before?"

Before Selina could form a coherent sentence Rene had rammed a shard of glass into the younger woman's right side, the jagged edge piercing the soft flesh below her ribs. Selina went wide eyed, inhaled and then let out a cry.

After a few moments Selina lifted her chin, breathless and dazed. "No, we haven't met."

Rene grinned, revealing teeth stained from many years of smoking. "What have they been calling this one? Cat Woman or something? What was that saying about a cat only having nine lives?"

From the corner, Benito chuckled. "Tough little kitten. I'd say she's got about three of those lives left."

Behind them there was a noise like doors being flung open and crashing back against the wall. Selina saw Rene flinch and didn't miss the puzzled expression cross Benito's face.

"What the hell..." Benito held up his hands.

"Yes you've guessed correctly!" the familiar, jubilant voice cackled. "The fun has arrived."

Selina lifted her chin, her vision blurred and fuzzy. The glass in her side was tearing and slicing through the tender meat that were her insides. She couldn't think clearly. All she could see was a man dressed in a large dark purple overcoat, concealing a smart, tailored suit underneath. She let out a sigh and dropped her head. God, could this night get much _worse?_

"How the hell did you know where to find us?" Benito roared. The humiliation of being forced to his knees at gunpoint by a freak in clown makeup was written across his proud face.

The Joker grinned into his face. He locked eyes on Rene, tilting his head in her brother's direction. She scuttled across the floor next to him, huddling down on her knees on the ground.

"You know it pays to have friends in high places...and I have a lot of friends!" the Joker said, shrugging his shoulders. "Meet Larry, Curly and Mo....my little helpers. I'm a popular guy."

Selina realised that he was talking about the three men from the van earlier. They had been in with the Joker the whole time. Keeping her chin to her chest, she realised that the Joker was sizing her up; she could hear him smacking his lips together as he came closer. Heat rose in her face and she was growing so dizzy with pain and exhaustion.

"Well I came here for funds and we end up catching a cat woman," he joked to himself. "Boys...get these two out of here and put them in a car....then put that car in the river!"

Rene screamed as she was manhandled to her feet. One of the men dug a shotgun in Benito's side as they were forced out of the warehouse. Sweating and faint, Selina swore she could still hear Rene screaming as they were led outside. Eventually it was silent. The Joker motioned for the money to be loaded up in his own van outside.

It took only moments for the task to become complete. The Joker paced the stone floor restlessly. He didn't look at her again and Selina half wondered if he had forgotten she was even there. He was muttering to himself and fingering his tie nervously with his gloved hands. When she began to wheeze in pain, only then he looked up at her, but in annoyance.

"We're ready to go boss!" one of the men called from the front of the warehouse. His voice echoed and it made Selina realise at how far away he was.

The Joker absently kicked at the sack on the ground, tossing her a brief look. Selina looked up at him through dull eyes, willing any kind of recognition. God if he remembered her at all he couldn't leave her alone in this place to bleed out.

"You want to take the girl boss?" the red haired man asked and the Joker shrugged, which he took to mean no. Selina suddenly went ice cold. He couldn't leave her here! She was better off on the sidewalk than in this place. At least then someone would help her.

Both men turned and she watched the Joker's form retreat. His head dipped between his hunched shoulders. Selina closed her eyes, words forming on her lips. She had no other choice.

"J-Jack," she croaked. The Joker's shoulders stiffened. He stopped abruptly, his shoes squeaking on the ground.

"Jack...please don't leave me here," she was crying now, desperate salty tears running down her face and nose. She was such a mess.

"Who is she talking to?" the red haired man asked and his boss rose up his shoulders in a shrug. His shoes smacked across the floor as he strolled back towards her. He knelt before her and she lifted her face to his. The makeup was so thick that she could have scraped some off on her fingers. The black paint around his eyes made it difficult to see the shape of them, she couldn't see his eyelashes. That was what made the makeup so terrifying. Eyes were windows to the soul and from a distance it just looked like two white holes in his face, with black irises.

Keeping his eyes on her own, he reached into his breast pocket and withdrew a jagged knife. Selina let out a little cry, her face creasing up in agony and tears. To her shock, the man in front of her began to slice through the cords that had bound her in place. When her feet became free, she found that if she had even wanted to, she couldn't move her legs. There was no strength left to support her.

Wordlessly, he cut through the tape over her wrists and she noticed his gaze falling over the maze of cuts and welts on her arms. He stood, rising to his full height and patted her on the head like she was an eight year old.

"There you go," his voice was bleak and somehow tired. It still had that strange, breathy quality that she remembered, as if he carefully selected his words.

"I can't...I can't stand up," she moaned and he rolled his eyes. The pain of being hauled to her feet was immense, every nerve ending, every muscle was screaming in protest, but somehow she was gripping onto his coat for support and he was allowing her to do so. Like jelly, her legs folded beneath her and she heard him click his tongue in annoyance before ducking his body and lifting her legs from under her.

She saw the startled expression on the red haired man's face as they passed. The Joker carried the battered woman to the back of their vehicle, not being as gentle as he should as he flung her ruined body in the back, her head lolling from side to side as he arranged the money sacks around her to keep her from bumping around.

He shut the van door, allowing a sigh to escape his red lips. He asked himself why he hadn't just left her there. He peered through the dirty van window at her motionless body, sucking his breath through his teeth.

This was going to be a long night.

**A/N Hey all once again. What do you think? Please let me know as I only want to improve. xxx**


	24. Five Fifty Nine

**Wow, I'm completely astounded by the reviews I have received for the last few chapters. To everyone, thank you so much! I'm trying to reply to everyone who has reviewed but if I have missed you, please consider yourself thanked. Also there are some anonymous reviewers out there, especially Fyen, Liv and Kayla and another with no name at all, thank you guys! This was another LONG one, so I'm saying sorry in advance. This has a bit of a surprise ending and I'm really interested to know what you think. Please, please let me** **know.**

**Five Fifty Nine**

The van bumped along, merciless and unrelenting. Selina was forced back into reality by the sharp, digging pain below her rib cage. Letting out a whimper, she tossed her head back, squinting her eyes at her surroundings. Licking her dry lips, she contemplated reaching for the handle of the van door, imagining them clanging open and rolling to her freedom. Sweat trickled down her neck as she tried to lift herself. She could hear faint music from the front of the cab and then suddenly the van stopped.

Her heart deflating, she prepared to lunge for the door when he came around. But it all happened too quickly and it seemed that she kept loosing herself. She was hot, almost feverish but yet the sweat on her body felt icy cool. The van doors flung open and two of the Joker's men were staring down at her.

What little of Selina's rational mind remained, told her to make a break for it. But dismally, she knew that she had nowhere to go and in the long run, she would only cause herself more pain.

The tall man with black hair tossed a playful smile at the red haired man.

"Where do you want her boss?" he called to another set of approaching footsteps. The Joker stepped between them, his hands on both their shoulders. He inched them back and then whispered something to them, causing them to burst into uproarious laughter. Selina's stomach lurched.

The red haired man came forward and before she could dodge, seized both her ankles. He dragged her across the van floor, until her bottom bumped onto the ground below. She winced, smacking her head lightly. He dragged her along the floor and she cried out as she was carted over loose stones and pebbles. Opening her eyes and arching her neck back, she saw the other two men and the Joker following. She was being dragged into what looked like a motel, only this motel had been out of business for quite some time.

It was a low, two storey concrete block. Every window appeared to be hung loosely with faded green curtains. The carpet was a swirly black and white pattern; it was rough and scratchy as Selina was pulled across it. The man paused in the dimly lit lobby waiting for his boss to give him some instruction.

She was rudely hauled to her feet, the man with the red hair tossing her over his shoulder as though she were a rag doll. Selina yelped from the pain splintering up her side.

"I can walk!" she screamed, clenching her stomach muscles. The pain was enough to make her want to vomit and she couldn't take that humiliation as well. "Just put me down, please!"

The Joker strolled in behind them, loudly clanging his shot gun down on the lobby reception desk. If he heard her choked cries he plainly ignored them.

"Take her up to 312," he grinned, hopping over the counter. He retrieved a set of keys and shoved them in his pocket. "Best room in the house. And boys....we won't want to be disturbed!"

The black haired man grinned lecherously. The man who was carrying Selina in a fireman's hold started to laugh, his shoulders shaking below her breastbone, making her want to cry out even more. There appeared to be no working elevators and he carted Selina roughly up the set of stairs. They were in a corridor, dimly lit and the walls either side were grimy and filthy with hand prints.

The Joker went ahead, unlocking the door and smiling to himself as he went around turning on the lights. Selina squeezed her eyes shut as the man dumped her down on the bed. She felt it give below her weight, air whooshing through her hair as he let her fall from quite a drop. She closed her eyes, feeling tears escaping under her eyelashes.

Suddenly the Joker was above her, his face so close that she nearly gagged. He pinched the flesh of her cheeks between his gloved fingers.

"Ah, what's wrong sweetheart?" he licked his lips anxiously. His eyes were darting around nervously above her. "We're going to have a little fun. Doesn't that sound good?"

Selina choked. "Jack...please...can't you just..."

Her words were cut off sharply by a swift slap to her face. She blinked up at him rapidly, the sting coming only seconds later. Without taking his eyes from her own, he waved his free hand behind him.

"Boys...I'll call you if I need you!" he growled and Selina instinctively sunk further back into the bed sheets. "I do _not _want any _interruptions,_ you understand?"

They mumbled their agreement from the door, letting it slam shut loudly behind them as they left. Selina could hear their retreating footfalls down the hallway outside.

"These walls are made of paper," the Joker mused more to himself than her. Selina lifted her neck off of the bed and watched him shrug out of his coat, letting it crumple to the floor. Beneath the coat, his shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing his strong, slightly freckly forearms. Keeping his gloves on he went to an old style CD player that was stacked on the writing desk by the window. He rubbed his chin with his hand, tipping CD's out of their cases, flinging them carelessly to the carpet.

Selina winced and tried to sit. Her lower back felt numb, which she supposed was a good thing. Strength was returning to her legs but it hurt to breathe in and out. She needed to be free of the glass shard that was still moving around under her skin. She could feel it there, splintering and tearing her insides and she knew that eventually she would bleed out if she wasn't stitched up.

The Joker chose a CD and it blasted from the stereo, making her shudder at the sudden assault to her senses. Dimly she realised it was an old 'Rage against the Machine' classic. It was too loud to let her think clearly. Exhausted and sweating she fell back against the pillows. The room looked as though he had been holed up in here for quite some time. The waste paper basket was nearly full, brimming with empty juice cartons and Styrofoam coffee cups. It had a slightly musty smell and the bed sheets were rumpled and stained. Blinking her eyes, she noticed what looked like a guard uniform strewn discarded across a chair in the far corner.

He was coming back for the bed, holding a half finished bottle of whiskey in his hand and in the other a metal box pressed under his arm. He threw the box on the bed, inches from her and it clattered open to reveal various small knifes and instruments. They looked rusty and old and Selina miserably turned her face away, closing her eyes. She noticed that a few rolled up bandages fell out, along with needles and other medical equipment. She supposed that he had become used to patching himself up when he needed to, like she had. Although his kit was nothing like her pristine box of supplies at home.

"What are you going to do to me?" her voice was gravely. Ignoring her, he unscrewed the cap of the whiskey bottle and flung it aside. He inched his forearm under her shoulders, tilting her up. Selina pulled away but his grip increased and so did the annoyance in his eyes.

He tilted her chin back and forced the neck of the bottle to her lips. The acidic, overpowering smell made her choke, but he pushed the bottle top through her teeth, the scorching sensation appalling her as it trickled down her throat. He gave her a brief second to breathe before doing it again. Selina wriggle her head away, grimacing.

"Stop it!" she yelled.

"You should take your medicine," he mumbled darkly, his lip curling up into a smile. "It'll be better if you do. Now..._get up_!"

"What?" she was too dazed to think straight. The music was too loud and engulfing.

"Get _up,_" he muttered through his teeth. Her eyebrows knitted together in a frown, she attempted to move but her slowness irritated him. He forced her up into a sitting position and tears leaked from her eyes. As though she weighed nothing, he dragged her to the foot of the bed, pushing her forward so that she sat bent double on the edge. To her dismay, he crawled on the bed, coming to sit squarely behind her so that she could lean back against him, snugly between his legs. He angled her head forward his hands exploring the neck line of her suit.

It wasn't until she heard him snort in satisfaction that she realised what he was doing. Her eyes went wide, hearing the sound of her zip travelling downwards.

"N-No!" she squealed trying to wriggle away. "_What are you doing?"_

He exhaled in what sounded like exasperation. "What do you _think _I'm doing? Arms up!"

Selina knew she had hit rock bottom, she covered her face with her hands, still encased in their own black gloves. He was tugging her suit down over her shoulders, revealing her scarred, naked skin. There was only one man who had ever seen her in a state on undress and Selina had loved that man, at the time, before he had turned her into his own pet criminal. He had never cared about her mangled, ruined body but it was still something that Selina kept for her eyes only.

She could feel his breath on her shoulder blades. She could almost feel eyes roaming over her skin, devouring her up. It was too much to bear and she let a sob escape her throat.

"Don't do this, please," she mumbled into her hands, weak and exhausted. He made a tutting noise through his teeth. He inched off the bed, coming to kneel at her feet. She couldn't meet his black eyes.

"I said, arms out!" he scolded her as though she were a child. Selina squeezed her eyes shut, feeling him ease off her ripped suit, damaged beyond repair. She felt like a child who was being undressed for bed.

When the suit was off, then the cold air hit her cuts and it hurt even more. Selina started to shiver, despite having been so hot earlier. Her arms automatically folded over her bust. He got up and dusted off his knees, putting the top half of her suit in the waste paper bin. It was thick and dried with her blood. He flicked on the light to the bathroom, momentarily disappearing inside. When he came out, he handed her a bloody, stained hand towel.

Wordlessly, she met his eyes. He nodded at her arms clutched protectively over her breasts. Snatching the towel from his fingers, she tried to ignore that it was caked in black grease paint and what could only be dried up blood. She wrapped it around her torso gratefully.

She raised her eyebrows. "What is this? Why can't you just let me go?"

His lips lifted into a half smile. "You would prefer that I dump you on the hospital steps? Dressed like _that?_" He was referring to her black suit.

Selina sniffed, wiping her eyes. Her face was sore from tears and her eyes felt puffy.

"Why should that matter to you?" she huffed. "You have your path and I have mine."

The Joker lifted his eyes, letting them roll to the ceiling. He sighed dramatically.

"That's true. But sometimes paths happen to cross, Selina,"

The shock of him saying her name out loud, sent her mind spiralling. She shook her head wordlessly. Her name sounded so normal, coming out of his mouth, in his voice. It felt so familiar.

"If I sent you to the hospital the cops would have you locked up in Black Gate before you could blink. And why would I do that when you're so _useful_ to me?" he clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Now...less talk from you. I have to concentrate."

Before she could protest, he used the flat of his hand to roughly shove her back against the pillows. Clutching the towel to her chest, she sucked in her breath as he came closer, his weight pressing down on the side of the bed. Reaching across her, he grabbed the box of tools, the contents jangling away inside. He chewed his bottom lip, surveying the contents of the box. He pulled out what looked like a sharp pair of tweezers.

"You are _not_....you better _wash _that first!" she hissed through her teeth. Numbly, she had quietly accepted her fate. Despite everything she thought she knew about this man, who once upon a time, she had known as a child, she was dazed and confused. It looked like he was going to patch her up. But she had no idea as to why he would even bother with her. He looked up at her, his brows pulled together.

"I was going to!" he let the giggle slide from his throat and pushed himself off the bed. Moments later he reappeared from the bathroom, his gloves slightly wet. She turned her head away, the sight of those gloves disturbing her deeply. She wondered at how many people he had attacked wearing them. He was back beside her on her bed, his face contorted in concentration as he gently lifted the towel away from her rib cage.

Selina swallowed her embarrassment, trying to inhale deep gulps of air. She felt him poking around in her wound. A choke gurgled from her throat, the pain slicing up her spine. In her daze, her hand had grabbed onto his shirt collar, her knuckles almost white. Her legs writhed over the bed sheets.

"You know," he gritted his teeth. He'd removed the glass fragment. She heard it clatter into the metal box. Warm liquid surged from her skin, seeping down onto the bedclothes. "I have a reputation to uphold. Perhaps you could scream for me? Good and loud so the boys can _hear _you."

Selina didn't need any prompting. He dug in again and a scream erupted from her throat.

"_You got it out!"_ she shrilled at him and even he winced. "What the _hell _are you doing?!"

"I take pride in my work. And a job isn't done unless it's done well." She could tell he was pressing his lips together, preventing the inevitable laughter from leaking out.

Selina's senses were on overload. She had taken more than any other human being could reasonably endure. She could feel herself sliding away. The room was growing dark and filmy. She released his shirt collar and let her arm fall back to her side. It was better this way and before she knew it, she was engulfed in darkness.

////

It felt like she was out for only moments. But when she opened her eyes, the sky outside was growing pink with the rising morning sunshine. She inhaled and then prickled, her body still wracked with pain. Blinking she stared down the bed, her mouth horribly dry.

The Joker sat only inches from her. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, facing the door. Wrinkling her brow, she saw that his shirt was gone. He was in a white vest, his elbows propped on his knees, staring down at the skin around his fingernails. Gloves gone, he lifted his fingers to his lips, chewing at the loose skin around his nail beds. He looked completely lost in thought and didn't seem to notice when she moved beside him.

"Jack," she whispered. He stiffened at her use of his real name. Up close, his shoulder blades were slightly freckly, like his forearms and she didn't know if it was the whiskey or that she was still dazed with pain, but she felt the urge to run her hand up his arm, to feel the muscles that were hidden there.

Selina looked down at herself and realised that she was wearing his shirt. She wondered when he had done that. The covers were pulled over her bare legs, the last part of her suit also removed.

"What time is it?" she croaked. He shifted his weight, his eyes darting in her direction for a brief second before turning back to his nails.

"Nearly five," he cocked his head to one side. "You've been out for a while sleeping beauty."

"It hurts," she moaned, falling back against the pillow. That earned a chuckle from him.

"Well of _course_. That woman sliced you to ribbons."

Selina blinked thinking dismally of Rene in the factory. Was it possible that was still the same person that she once knew? How could she have made the jump from nurse to torturer?

"Did you kill them?" she whispered harshly and he let his shoulders rise and fall in a shrug.

"Benito Falcone's body was found on the river bank an hour ago. It was on the news. Rene...she's in the hospital," he clicked his tongue. "Someone up _there_ likes her. Too bad no one likes her down here."

Selina swallowed her eyes weak and tired. Suddenly her thoughts returned to the night she had found that poor girl on the river bank, choking up her own blood. She had read in the newspapers that her name had been Amy Fuller and had been a trainee nurse at Arkham. She had been twenty one years old. Anger welled up inside her.

"Who _are _you?" she said, her voice still urgent but weak. "You killed that poor girl from Arkham. You threw her out of that car like she was garbage."

He began to smile, his shoulders trembling with silent laughter.

"That's the thanks I get for saving your life!" he slapped his hand against his knee. "Didn't I once tell you that people sometimes are in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

Selina heaved herself into a sitting position. The room was so quiet that she could hear him breathing. In the half light of the room, his makeup was strangely faded. The black paint from his eyes had streaked down his face, which looked like ruined mascara. There were patches on his forehead where it was completely gone and his mouth was nothing but a red strawberry stain.

"Did you mean to kill her?" Selina whispered. Something was eating at her insides. She felt sick at how she felt around him. He appalled her on every level. But something about him was so familiar, so disturbingly real. She oddly felt at ease and she knew she shouldn't. He wasn't the same boy she remembered. He was as unpredictable as a shark. He turned to look at her, his own face sombre.

"What do _you _think?" he bit. Selina shook her head.

"I know what I see. I know who you _were_, but I don't know if _this _is real. If you're really this monster then why would you help me? " she let her hand reach and then realised her mistake. He caught her wrist and twisted it nastily and with a yelp she was forced back against the headboard. The movement was so fast that she had not seen it coming. He hovered over her, his face above her, so close she could smell the oil on his skin.

"Did you think I rescued you out of the _kindness_ of my little black heart, Selina? Do you think we have something _going _on here?" he hissed into her face and she pulled back, her eyes wide.

"I don't know!" she cried. "I don't know what 'this' is! I'm confused Jack. I haven't seen you for nearly twenty years. I just want to know what happened to you."

He sucked in a great gulp of air through his teeth. A guttural growl rose from his throat.

"Did you think I brought you here to confess all my sins? Because really on the inside, I'm a _good _man trapped in _this _body...that if I have someone who _loves _me and _believes _in me....that I could change?"

Selina's eyes welled up. He bit on his lower lip, hard enough to draw up blood. She found she couldn't look away.

"I don't think you're a good man," she whispered. "I don't know what kind of man you are Jack."

"First of all!" he wagged a finger in her face. "You can stop _calling_ me that. Secondly, whatever 'this' is.." he made a waving motion between the pair of them with his free hand. "When you walk out of here...when that clock hits...say six in the morning...._this _is over. We go back to what we were!"

Selina blinked back tears. "Strangers," she said.

He rolled his eyes in the air. "Strangers...two people who bumped into each other at party...or kids who grew up together...whatever you like. I'll let you choose."

She nodded weakly, curling her knees up to her chest.

"You have your path and I have mine. And this isn't like when we were kids Selina!" he added, narrowing his eyes at her. "If you fall down again you _stay _down. I won't be there to pick you up!"

She furrowed her brow angrily. "I don't need your help. I've managed on my own for a long time."

The Joker let his head drop between his shoulder blades and she could tell he was smiling. It was sudden, stark shift from the anger he'd displayed only seconds ago. "I noticed. When exactly did you become the black ranger?"

She folded her arms, suddenly feeling a little chilly. The fabric of his shirt was thin, but she could still smell his scent on it. It was oddly comforting.

"I went to Thailand to train," she didn't know why she was bothering to answer. She certainly didn't like being compared to a 'power ranger'. "What happened to you? After Wayne Manor?"

He giggled nastily. "Oh, is this the part where we catch up on old times? Sorry sweetheart, I'm not in the mood right now." He reached behind him, taking up his gloves in his hands. He pulled one of, letting it slide over the tendons and muscles, flexing the leather to make it stretch.

Selina sniffed, knowing what little chance there had been for confidences, it was gone. It was like he was putting his costume back on, and with it came the facade that was his alias. Jack had temporarily left the building. Before he put the other one on, he cast a dark sideways glance.

"I didn't mean to kill her," he whispered and Selina's eyes widened in surprise. "Despite what you think....I didn't mean to."

Selina wasn't sure if he expected praise for his admission. He had rescued her and on a deep level she would be eternally grateful. But she couldn't bring herself to look at him. Somehow she knew that he did have the power to make conscious decisions. He was fully aware of his actions and the people around him. Despite what the media proclaimed, she knew that he wasn't a mindless killing machine. He was the one in control. But then somehow, that didn't make her feel much better. It only made him more frightening.

He stood and flexed out his shoulder blades. Ducking he retrieved his coat to the floor and slipped it on over his vest. Gingerly, Selina eased her legs over the side of the bed. She took the time to examine his handwork. Some of her cuts were covered in bandages but some of the deeper ones were neatly, carefully stitched. She lifted up the shirt and looked down at the gash on her stomach, her eyes widening at the care he had taken.

"I've had some experience in that area," she flinched at the sound of his voice so close to her. Selina stared up at him. She was instantly reminded of the night he had ripped out his own stitches in the white room. The memory of him shuddering in a pool of his own blood made her quiver. When their gazes locked, she knew he'd been thinking the same thing.

Then he was walking towards her. Selina noticed the burlap sack in his hand a little too late, not quick enough to dodge him as he forced it over her ratty head of hair. Encased in the sack, she sobbed.

"What are you doing?" she screamed, trying to kick him with her feet, but he cleverly dodged her swipes. He wrestled it over her head, taking her under the arms and dragging her off the bed. Her feet clambered for balance but he hauled her rudely over his shoulder.

"Oh you didn't think I could just let you walk out of here did you? I'm a gentleman after all and I take my dates _home _after a night out!" he chuckled carrying her out of her room.

Selina grunted as she bounced about on his shoulder, wriggling to get loose. Her legs were bare and her backside exposed to the world, apart from her thin underwear.

"Let me go!" she shrieked and was rewarded for her efforts with an almighty slap on her rear. It stung and she was sure he must have left a hand print.

"Really stop that...you're starting to annoy me now!" he snapped and she pressed her lips together. She hoped that the other men were still asleep. She couldn't face the humiliation of being carted out of the motel, half dressed, and exposed to their leering eyes. Thankfully, she didn't hear anything as they came down the stairs. The lobby was quiet apart from the gentle hum of the electric generator. She felt the cool morning air hit her legs as they went out into the parking lot. Moments later she was shoved into the front seat of the cab, her legs scrambling as she tried to sit up.

Angrily she yanked off the sack, throwing him a glare as he scooted into the driver's side. He started the van and it screeched out of the parking lot.

"Why did you have to do that? I could have _walked _out!" she yelled and he pulled a face at her.

"Easy kitten," he laughed. "I told you I have a reputation to maintain. What would my boys say if they saw you walking out with me, all arms and legs intact? They'd lose _respect _for me!"

Selina snorted at his reasoning, shaking her head. They seemed to be driving through the worst area of the Gotham narrows. She let out an anxious breath and settled back into the seat. It was still extremely early and most of the Gotham residents were still fast asleep, the streets were empty and quiet.

"So you going to tell me where you live?" he probed and she laughed.

"Are you _kidding?_ So you can come back and find me anytime you like?"

He raised an eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders. "The sidewalk is _fine _with me honey. Tell me, how far do you think a fine looking woman like you will make it in these parts in just a shirt and her underwear?"

Selina huffed, folding her arms defensively. Could this be any worse? Why did he have to be right? If someone didn't jump her then she'd be picked up by the cops in no time at all.

"It's a cute look by the way," he winked at her. She felt heat rising in her cheeks. "I love a woman in a man's shirt."

"Fine!" she snapped and he laughed uproariously. "I live on East Street near the park."

He made an admiring noise in his throat. "Hm. Nice area. You must be doing OK, huh?"

"Just _shut _up!" her face was flaming. "Pull around the back so I can go up the fire escape. God I _swear _you better not show up..."

"Calm down!" he raised his hands off the steering wheel. "Like I said, when six o clock hits, you and I are over. It'll be like we never met. And look, its five forty three already!"

Selina rubbed her eyes, groaning. The clock on the dash board was flashing the time at them. Carefully she cast a glance at his profile. She suddenly felt so confused. She wasn't sure if she liked the fact that after his imposed curfew, that they would never see each other again. He had saved her life. She had appealed to the lost side of him in the factory and he had responded. Was there something good there that was worth saving?

Flooded with unexpected emotion she wanted to tell him that she had missed him. She wanted to tell him that she had tried to find him all those years ago. Selina wanted to talk to him about what had happened to her, why she had made these decisions in her life. She realised dismally, that he had been her best friend once. And she wanted nothing more than to talk to that person. Willing back tears, she realised that it was very possible that the boy she knew was gone.

"Quiet aren't you?" he chuckled. When she looked up, they appeared to be in the shiny new town, vast sky scrapers looming ahead of them. He wound the van through the silent streets, empty apart from the odd party goer, travelling home. She thought that if she spoke she would cry, a knot tight in her throat. She recognised the hilly landscape of the park approaching. He abruptly pulled the van around the back of the row of shops that were her home. They were in the vast alley behind Selina's building and she stared up at the massive maze of metal that were the fire escapes.

Silently he switched off the engine and ran a tongue over his lips. He was looking at her profile, the heat of his eyes on her making her hot. Without saying a word, she shoved the door open and slipped her feet to the cold ground. To her dismay, she heard his door open. He came around to the front of the van, his head slightly tilted.

"I can make it up by myself," she said, tired and defeated. He raised his arms and let them fall to his sides, pushing past her. Her feet did hurt across the stony ground and she was grateful for the lift up onto the first wrung of the ladder. She began to climb and realised that he was following her up, his heavy shoes making the steps quiver.

She turned and looked down at him and he squinted up at her, his makeup a garish mess in the early morning sunshine. But then Selina didn't even want to think about how she looked.

"Why are you following me? The clock read five fifty five when you parked the van."

"I was brought up to _always _see the lady to the door," he laughed, nervously. Selina groaned, not wanting to think about what values _he'd _been taught growing up. She was sure it couldn't be good.

"I think you better go," her chin touched her chest. She felt miserable. He huffed in annoyance.

"Just keep going, Selina!"

Turning away she crept quietly upwards, her heart hammering in her chest, knowing he was just inches behind her. Eventually she reached her level, two floors up. He stopped on the platform, his weight shaking the frail metal structure. She noticed him peer in through her bedroom window, his inquisitive eyes raking over her soft home furnishings and messy unmade bed from the night before. She gritted her teeth, wishing she'd taken time to pick up her own discarded clothing and old underwear that littered her bedroom floor. She saw her own bed side clock flashing the time at her. Five fifty seven.

Selina faced him and for a moment their eyes met, but sadly. Then she did something rash. Without really thinking she reached forward and put her arms around him. She felt his whole body stiffen against her warmth. Blinking back tears, she held on tighter, finding the crook of his neck and hiding her face in it. She didn't care that he smelt stale and needed a shower. His arms stayed limply by his sides.

"As we have the time...and seeing as this ends soon and we go back to whatever it is that we were, I want you to know...I did try to find you Jack," she whispered into the collar of his coat. "I really did try. And I'm sorry that it has got to be this way."

Numbly, she let him go and fell back on the balls of her feet. "Goodbye, then."

He appeared dumbstruck and unable to move. Without saying anything he turned and started back down the fire escape. Selina felt the tears bubble up in her throat. What had she expected from him really? That he would suddenly become the kid she remembered? That they would go grab a coffee together? They were from two different worlds. And that was never going to happen. And she couldn't easily forget what he was capable of.

She reached for her window ledge shaken and miserable, using what little strength she had to pull it upwards. About to hook her leg over the edge, she felt the fire escape moving erratically and to her surprise he was bounding back up towards her. Selina unhooked her leg, feeling the first patters of rain on her bare skin.

She could barely breathe as he came closer. His lips were pressed firmly together, his brows knitted as if he couldn't think of what he wanted to say. Wordlessly he looked in her window and pointed at the flashing clock.

"Its five fifty nine," his words were slow and Selina felt her legs drain of strength as he dipped his head towards her. She forgot to close her eyes, but she was so shocked that her fingers lifted to the edges of his coat for support.

When her eyes fluttered shut, she tried to breathe but found she could not. His mouth was soft on hers, using his tongue to part her lips, she let him kiss her deeper. A sob choked in her throat and splatters of rain from above began to run down her face like tears, mingling his makeup with hers.

The kiss was soft, then urgent and greedy. He let his arm wind around her lower back to hold her there and she found that she was responding, needily, suddenly desperate not to let him go. Her mind was lost and yet she knew that this had to stop, and so did he. She could feel the bumpy lacerations on his skin against her own but she didn't care. There was a point reached where she knew that it could dangerously go another way. She could feel every part of him pressed against her and she sucked in his warmth, aching for more of him.

It was he that broke away. He let her down back onto her feet and she hadn't even realised that she was standing on tip toe to reach him.

She shivered at the loss of his body heat as he moved away. He grinned and gave her a wink before retreating down the steps. Inwardly she felt annoyed that she had given so much of herself away. Maybe that was what he had wanted? To find where she was vulnerable. She had responded like a teenager and part of her loathed herself for it. The other part was still trying to control her heart beat.

She peered over the edge of the fire escape to where he was about to climb into the driver's side of the van. He turned stared up at her and ducked into a low dramatic bow, his coat flapping around him. Selina pulled a face and then rolled her eyes.

"See you around, match girl," he called up at her. Wrapping her arms around her waist, every part of her still hurting, she made to go into her bedroom, absently looking at the clock on her bedside table.

It was six am.

**A/N Whew! OK what did you think? I think that this is the only bit of fluff that these two are going to have so don't get too excited. Or not depending on how you feel about the pairing. If you are wondering, it was kind of a goodbye kiss, a onetime deal. As always your thoughts are welcome. If you were wondering I was listening to Rage Against the Machine's 'Killing in the name of' when I wrote most of this chapter and then Oasis's 'Stop crying your heart out'. I don't know if anyone else gets inspired by certain tracks, but I do. **

**I'm really nervous about this one. Be kind reviewers. Pretty please. xx**


	25. Cuts and Bruises

**Hi all. Firstly, thank you so much for all your fantastic reviews. It really means the world that you are enjoying this story. This chapter is beyond long, it's more like epic. I really couldn't stop so I'm apologising in advance. Make sure you have a drink handy or something. Just kidding. As always I'd love to know your thoughts. Also did any of you see the final Joker blogs episode last week? If you didn't, shame on you! Go and check it out. But read this first! Thanks guys.**

**Cuts and Bruises**

Selina stumbled as she crawled into her bedroom, the silence that greeted her feeling oddly surreal. She stared down at the disarray of clothing strewn across the carpet from the night before. A soft pattering of rain began trickling down the bedroom window as she heaved it closed, wincing at the sharp, knife like pain in her side. Fingers trailing absently to her lips she wandered into the bathroom, recoiling in horror at her reflection. Leaning against the sink, she peered at her beaten appearance.

She was white, her skin like rice paper compared to the fierce brightness of her green eyes. Her face was a mass of run makeup and faded red lipstick. Blinking back tears she unbuttoned the faded blue shirt that Jack had dressed her in. Swallowing she revealed a garish purple bruise on her collar bone. She let the shirt slip to her feet, which were covered in dried blood.

Selina closed her eyes. Her body was literally a reference point for every injury Benito Falcone had inflicted upon her. Closing her eyes she recalled every kick, every blow, the sound of his fist against her flesh echoing in her ears.

Breathing deeply, she reached for the faucet, wanting at once to be clean and rid of the blood and its smell. She felt violated and dirty. The pipes groaned before unleashing a jet of hot water into the tub. No sooner had she pushed the plug into its hole, did the bathroom door crash open.

Yelping, Selina ducked behind the shower curtain, shame coursing across her face. But in the reflection of the mirror, Holly stood open mouthed. The younger girl was ashen, her eyes looked sore and her clothes unusually rumpled.

"Selina?" she blinked rapidly, raising a hand to her mouth. To Selina's horror, Holly started crying. As deftly as she could manage, Selina squirmed back into her shirt and wrapped her arms around Holly's trembling shoulders.

"I thought...I thought you were dead!" she sobbed and Selina led her out into the kitchen. Selina pushed Holly into a chair and Selina gently eased herself into the one opposite.

"I'm alright, Holly," she insisted, though she knew she was far from it. "I've been through hell and back but I'm alright."

Finally Holly looked up, wiping at her eyes. "You don't look alright. You look...Jesus I've been so worried. Where _were _you?"

Selina frowned momentarily. She knew that she looked like hell but she didn't think she'd been gone that long.

"What day is it?" she asked suddenly and Holly made a noise as though she'd just asked what colour the sky was. Holly shook her head in disbelief.

"Are you _serious_? Its Friday, Selina. You went missing Wednesday night! I've been going crazy, out of my mind! Where the _hell _were you?"

Selina slumped back in the chair, her jaw sagging slightly. How long had she been in that factory? Was it possible that she had been locked up for over twenty four hours? How hard had that guy hit her? Selina licked her lips. She knew that she should feel dehydrated, her throat raw from thirst. Her shoulders sinking slightly, she realised that Jack had taken better care of her than she thought possible. Her mind flashing back to only moments earlier on the fire escape, she wished that she had known, and then at least she could have thanked him. But then he wouldn't have told her, it wasn't his style. And she had a feeling that he liked the idea of her owing him a favour, to be cashed in at the time he chose.

"Selina!" Holly cried and Selina blinked, unaware that she had temporarily phased out. Holly was leaning across the table, her pupils wide and black against the blue of her irises. "Selina don't ignore me, _please._ Tell me what happened?"

Sucking in her breath, Selina recounted the tale of horror that she had had to endure. When she finished with how the Joker had dropped her off here only minutes ago, Holly sat back in her chair, her face whiter than it had been to begin with.

"The Joker was _here_?" Holly breathed uneasily. "God...he knows where you live?"

Selina waved her hand in the air. "He won't come back here again."

"But how can you know? I don't understand why a man like that would even help you. He wants _something._"

Selina had to admit that the thought wasn't completely ridiculous. She hadn't spoken of her involvement with Jack in her past and she didn't want to drag that up now. Selina answered her friend with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I don't know. But he said he would leave me alone."

Holly snorted. "And you trust him?"

Selina smiled despite herself. "Not one bit. But he patched me up pretty good. He took, what I suppose constitutes for 'care' in his world, of me. And I'm alive. Which believe me, if he hadn't of shown up, I would be in pieces at the bottom of the East River by now."

Holly visibly shivered and Selina was glad to see that some of her colour was returning. Holly had been chewing her bottom lip so hard that she had left a welt there.

"From what I know of the Joker...from what little I know, I don't see this as over. He'll come back for you. You're too interesting for him to leave alone. He didn't have to help you. A guy like that, always has reasoning."

Holly's words were almost close to the mark and Selina rubbed her arms. She didn't want to think about that right now. But Selina promised herself that if Jack did show up she would be ready. And she certainly wouldn't be kissing him again anytime soon! The moment on the fire escape came back to her and when she looked up at her friend, she feared that she could read it in her eyes. Selina felt her stomach coil at the thought of the kiss. She was ashamed at how she had reacted and even more ashamed that for a fraction of a second, she had wanted more. Selina had to tell herself mentally that there was no part of her that wanted him to come rushing back up the metal stairs and finish what he had begun.

Even though that was a lie.

"Selina, we should really get you to a hospital?" Holly suggested, scraping back her chair and wandering behind the blonde woman and flicking on the kettle. She retrieved two stripy mugs from the dishwasher and rinsed them around, almost on autopilot. Selina shook her shoulders.

"I'm OK Holly," she promised. "Besides if I go then the police would have to be involved and that would mean I would have to come up with some kind of story...."

Selina's eyes suddenly widened and she shot forward in her chair. Abruptly she turned and Holly was standing behind her with anxiously gritted teeth. She had been gone since Wednesday?

"Holy crap!" Selina moaned, letting her dirty head tumble forward onto her forearms. "Bruce Wayne. I missed our date!"

Holly scooted into the chair and slid a mug of tea across the table towards her. "Yeah. Sorry."

Selina lifted her head, her eyes aching. "Did he call? What did you tell him?"

Holly bit on her lip again. "I told him you were sick. He sent you flowers. They're in a vase on your coffee table."

Selina rested her forehead against her arm, wanting nothing more than to slam her head into the pine veneer surface below it.

"He called a few times actually and really wanted to speak to you," Holly leaned forward in her seat. "I was so scared Selina. I didn't know what had happened to you and then they found Benito Falcone's body in the river. It was all over the news. His sister was put into a secure unit at Gotham General and you were gone...I didn't know what else to tell him!"

"You did fine," Selina mumbled into her hands.

"If it makes you feel any better he sounded really keen to meet up when you were better?" Holly prompted her voice hopeful. "I think he really likes you."

Selina straightened up, using her trembling arms to lift her out of her seat. As if Holly read her mind, she met Selina at her phone which was on the wall by her calendar. Holly prised the receiver out of Selina's blood stained hand which would have normal taken some doing. Selina however, looked ready to crumple to the floor; her breaths were shallow and raspy.

"You can't call him now sweetie," Holly smiled tightly, placing the phone back in its cradle.

Selina shot her a dark look. "Why? He probably thinks I'm not interested!"

"Selina...its six thirty in the morning and your playboy won't even be awake yet. And you really think you can go on a date after what you've been through? Besides you smell like...I don't know...whiskey!"

Selina mumbled her agreement, caving in only because she knew that at any moment she could pass out from the pain rocket ting through her body. She swayed on her feet and Holly caught her by the upper arms. Holly guided Selina back to the bathroom, forcing her to perch on the edge of the tub, while she let it run. Steam clouded the room and Holly tried to ignore the deep, vicious grazes that ran down the length of her friend's legs. She helped Selina out of the shirt, pretending that it didn't hurt her to see the dark, purple bruises that were blooming all over her back and torso.

Selina eased into the tub, the suds rising up to her face. Holly swallowed her tears, helping Selina to wash out the blood that was matted in her usually lovely blonde locks. When she was clean, Holly picked up the shirt off the floor.

"Is this..._his?_" she asked, giving it an obligatory sniff. It just smelled musky and damp, like Selina had been. "Shall I throw it away?"

Selina closed her eyes, trying to pretend that being immersed in hot water was as soothing as it should be. Instead, blood was rushing in her head and she felt sick. Every cut on her body stung. Tears leaked out from under her lashes.

"Just leave it there, I'll deal with it," she answered dully and Holly rolled her eyes.

The younger woman was about to shut the bathroom door behind her when Selina suddenly leaned out of the tub, hugging her knees to her chest.

"Holly...can you call Bruce for me? When it's a reasonable hour of course. Tell him I'd be happy to meet him later on this afternoon if he's free?"

Holly screwed up her face. "There is _no _way you....no! You can't even _walk!_"

Selina could feel her temper rising and she bit down on her tongue. Didn't her friend realise that it exhausted her to have to argue her case all the time?

"I just need some sleep and lot and lots of painkillers," Selina insisted. "Please just do this for me. I don't have the strength to fight you."

Holly made a noise of disapproval in her throat, letting the door clang shut behind her. For the next few moments, she heard her friend tidying around the bedroom. Then it was silent. Selina supposed she was out of line for what she had put Holly through. But she couldn't sit up here in this apartment and think about what had happened to her. Selina had learnt long ago never to dwell. Dwelling on what had passed was dangerous. She wanted badly to be looking around Bruce Wayne's Manor not sitting here flashing back to when Rene Falcone had jammed a shard of glass under her skin.

Shivering, Selina realised she had sat too long in the tub and was starting to prune up. Rising up slowly, she grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her torso, relishing the clean feeling. She scrubbed her teeth to remove the taste of stale whiskey.

"_You should take your medicine. It'll be better if you do..."_

Spitting out the toothpaste into the sink, she pushed the thoughts away, slipping her silk robe over her dry body. Her feet still bare, she padded out into her bedroom, noticing that Holly had remade her bed. Feeling marginally better she glanced at the clock she saw that it had gone past nine. How long had she been sitting in that tub? She realised dimly that she was slipping again, phasing in and out, a diehard habit she had thought was broken. It was something she used to do all the time when she was a child. Mentally she shook herself; she would just have to learn to get over it.

There was a plastic bag on the bed and when looking through it, Selina found that it had a few different types of pain medication in it, plus some ointment and clean bandages. She half smiled, picking up the note that Holly had left by the side of the bag.

'**You're an idiot. But he said he would pick you up at five.'**

The shirt was folded up at the foot of the bed, sitting on the bed linen like it expected to be lovingly put away in a draw. Gently, Selina picked it up, letting its frayed edges splay across her lap as she sat on the bed. She traced her fingers across its faded blue and green pattern, lifting it to her nose to breathe in the scent that lingered there. Her heart jumped into her chest as the memory of his touch came back.

"_See you around, match girl." _He had said, smiling, giving her that mock bow before disappearing out of her life. Selina sniffed. God why was she such a mess? Dragging the shirt with her, she folded herself under the covers, clutching it firmly in her hand as she fell asleep.

////

Sunlight filtered shyly through her closed curtains as she opened her eyes, what felt like only moments later. Wrinkling her nose she thought she smelled the clean, pressed scent of washed laundry. Heaving herself out of bed and slipping her feet in some socks, Selina wandered into the kitchen, where Holly was struggling to collapse the ironing board.

Smiling wryly, Selina helped her flatten it and then pried it out of her hands. She folded it with ease and shoved it in the cupboard behind her. Holly made a huffing noise and folded her arms across her chest defensively.

"How are you feeling?" she asked. Her teeth were gritted and Selina saw the annoyance in her old friend's usually warm face. Selina arched her back and stretched her arms above her head, almost instantly doubling over as white hot pain scorched up under her ribcage.

Holly shook her head. "I'm calling Wayne and cancelling. You cannot do this today!"

Selina shot her a fierce look. "I love you for caring but if you do that I'll string you up by your ankles over the East river....and I can do that you know!"

Holly's face broke into a grin. She shrugged helplessly and nodded her head to the pile of neatly folded laundry on the kitchen table.

"Well suit yourself."

"Its just cuts and bruises Holly," Selina insisted, her eyes running over the neat pile, wondering what she had in her limited wardrobe that would pretty much cover her from neck to toe. Her voice was distant. "I've had broken bones and all sorts...most of them from Elliot, who said he loved me."

Knowing that she hadn't done a very good job of convincing her friend, Selina set about getting ready for a date with a millionaire. She didn't want to appear forward and didn't want Wayne to think she'd tried too hard. She chose a pale, mint green shirt in a very sheer material that did up to her neck, fastened with a little ribbon. She wore loose cream pants and threw a cream pashmina over her shoulders. Selina paid extra attention to her makeup, thickening her mascara and layering concealer under her eyes, taking care that she had erased all signs of her ordeal. She wore her hair tousled and loose, making it slightly higher at the back of her head, to cover the growing lump on her scalp. Liberally spraying perfume and slipping her feet into an expensive pair of heels, she admired her reflection in the mirror.

Staring dismally at her face, she fought down the knot that was growing in her throat. Closing her eyes she told herself to breathe. Images came flooding back to her. She saw Benito Falcone flexing the muscles in his fingers, before balling them up into a fist. She remembered the savagery in his eyes as he kicked her over and over. Selina thought of Rene, her expression cold and unfeeling as she sliced through her suit with the blade. It was just business to them.

Now because of Jack, Benito was dead and Rene in the hospital. But Selina couldn't think of a better place for either of them. Selina had hurt the Falcone family financially. She had embarrassed them and that was worse than anything physical she could do to them. She remembered Batman's warning to her and how surreal that sounded in her head now. Her vengeance had blinded her and she had fallen straight into their snare. She wouldn't be so stupid next time.

The clock in the hallway read ten to five and Selina practised walking straight in her shoes, forcing her body into an uncomfortable position. At least it would make her more aware of her pain, less she forget it during the evening and then it crept back up on her by surprise. She hobbled down the narrow stairs, closely followed by Holly, who whistled through her teeth as they both set eyes on a grey, shiny limo waiting for her outside.

It was starting to spot with rain. Selina threw Holly a smile, pulling the wrap around her shoulders as she made the short three steps from the gallery door to the car. Slipping inside, the driver turned to greet her.

"Good afternoon Miss Kyle," his voice was pleasant, which matched his plainly handsome face. "Mr. Wayne offers his apologies that he isn't here to pick you up, but he was detained at the manor. Help yourself to some refreshments from the back?"

Selina's stomach suddenly lurched with nerves. "Thank you," she replied weakly. She suddenly didn't feel ready for this at all and wondered what on earth had possessed her to go ahead. Sitting back against the leather seat, she clutched her purse tightly in her lap. The limo smelt wonderfully of old worn leather and Selina tried to focus her breathing as it wound its way through the city centre, dodging the rush hour traffic.

After a while the view from the tinted window changed from blurry skyscrapers to long stretches of open country side. Selina was reminded of another journey she had taken to the famous Wayne Manor, but that was many years ago. She felt a dull ache beginning in her lower back and wincing, she began to riffle through her purse for the stash of pain medication that Holly had bought her. She downed some pills with a swig of still water from the small cabinet fridge, the liquid cooling her raw throat.

She noticed the limo driver watching as she popped the bottle back in the fridge. Selina threw him her best smile. "Headache," she said and he nodded.

Abruptly the car pulled off the road and Selina slid across the seat, her expression full of wonder as they were driving through a vast expanse of trees. They loomed over the dirt road, their branches reaching out from the woodland and Selina could barely suppress a shiver. It was all returning to her and at once she held her breath as the trees pulled back to reveal the house. Pressing her lips together, Selina inched closer to the window, her breath fogging the glass as she gazed upon Wayne Manor. It looked exactly as she remembered, except that somehow, it seemed darker.

The hundreds of little windows looked down upon the approaching vehicle like empty eyes and Selina was instantly struck with a feeling of terrible loneliness. It was as if the world had changed so vastly but this building, although rebuilt from the ground up had remained stuck in time. This was Bruce Wayne's childhood home but it was also his fortress. It was almost as if he'd rebuilt it to appear darker, the towers jutting out from the rooftops sharp and terrifying.

Rolling over the gravel to a halt, the driver swiftly made his way around to the passenger door, opening it for Selina to swing her legs out. Pulling her wrap tighter around her, Selina eyed the darkening clouds above before casting her eye to the man standing at the great oak door. She blushed, reaching out her hand as Mr. Pennyworth stepped forward and took her hand in his.

"Come inside Miss Kyle," he said leading her across the stone steps and into the marbled hallway. He smiled down at her, despite his age he was still a little taller than her. "We've met before?"

"Uh, yes," she laughed nervously. "At the fundraiser you threw in the city?"

"Of course!" he beamed. "You were admiring that Italian piece! What an interesting night that turned into."

"I know," Selina shook her head. "It was such a shame what happened."

Mr. Pennyworth smiled sadly, as if recalling a memory but whatever he was thinking passed out of his eyes as quickly as it had come. "At least that's all behind us now."

"I'm sure you're glad to be home aren't you?" Selina marvelled, letting her green eyes travel across the freshly painted stone walls. There was a fire crackling in the hallway, breathing in its comforting scent, Selina moved closer, the heat gently touching her skin.

"Its not quite the same as it used to be. There's still much to do and I think I've forgotten where everything went. Master Wayne had it rebuilt almost exactly as it was, not a brick out of place...but of course it has its improvements. We have so many fancy gadgets in the kitchen that I'm going to need a degree to use them!"

Selina found herself smiling and rubbing her shoulders for warmth. She loved everything about this house. She loved its homely smell; she loved its space and warmth. She loved the way it echoed.

"Where is Mr. Wayne?" she asked, her stomach knotting again. The older man rolled his eyes upward.

"I'm afraid that he's taking care of business on the other side of the house. He promised he wouldn't be too long. Can I offer you something to drink?" he explained apologetically. He began walking and Selina automatically followed. She was thinking that for a man who had been so desperate to get her here, Bruce Wayne was being extremely coy. Sending a driver for her and keeping her hanging around was exactly what she had expected of the famous playboy. But she had to admit she was a little disappointed to find that he did indeed live up to his reputation.

Telling herself that she didn't really care that much, Selina followed the old butler into a beautiful carved wooden kitchen. It was painted in a fresh cream, with a black and white tiled floor. Selina found herself with her mouth open; it was so unlike the steel coldness at the penthouse in the city. It was a family kitchen and Selina felt the yearning to be part of this home, take desperate hold of her once again.

"Take a seat. I'll make us some tea," he offered and Selina smiled again. She carefully pulled herself up onto a high bar stool, keeping her facial expression as neutral as she could as a splinter of pain sliced through her mid section. In a few moments, she was holding a warm china mug and chatting with the butler like she'd known him for years.

He asked her about how the gallery was doing and they talked about art. She cleverly dodged his queries about where she had travelled through her childhood, Selina having to think up various names and places she recalled on her journeys with Elliot. She guessed he was heading for something but he seemed to be keeping it close to his chest for the moment, but the expression in his older eyes was that of intrigue. When Selina glanced at the clock she realised that she'd been in this room for over an hour and it was dark outside. A glimmer of annoyance passed through her.

"You know there is something about you Miss Kyle that I can't quite work out," Mr. Pennyworth said suddenly and Selina's stomach lurched. She hadn't been wrong; he had been working towards something.

She smiled, concealing her nerves. "And what would that be?"

"I met a little girl many years ago at a children's home that Mrs. Wayne was a patron to before she and Master Wayne were killed. I know it's completely impossible as you were travelling with your parents but _you _could almost be her....it's just something about your eyes."

Selina lowered her gaze, finding herself staring at her fingers wound around the mug. She swallowed the knot that had formed in her throat and looked up at the older man carefully. She saw that he was leaning on his elbows across the kitchen counter.

Selina grinned. "What about my eyes?"

She was suddenly struck at how quiet the kitchen was and that a smattering of rain could be heard on the window pane.

He shrugged. "They're sad. You look lost."

Laughter escaped her lips nervously, the coils of her stomach tightening. She was hit by a sad memory of reading to an injured boy with a bandaged head. The story echoed over and over in her mind and it wasn't until weeks of reading him the same tale, that she realised that it mirrored her own pitiful existence.

"Maybe I am a little lost?" she offered gently, surprised at how quiet her voice was. "I came back here to find something. Except I don't really know what I'm looking for."

The butler straightened as someone else came into the room behind Selina. A part of her knew who it was but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of turning around just yet.

"I think most people feel that way Miss Kyle. Its Gotham's curse I'm afraid. A city filled with people walking around never really seeing one another. It's a lonely place to be."

He reached across and patted her hand. Selina smiled warmly at him and then slid off the seat, her heels clicking across the tiles. She turned and Bruce Wayne stood sheepishly in the doorway of the kitchen. Dressed in casual grey slacks and a white T shirt, she was completely taken off guard by his laid back appearance. His hair was slightly damp and as he approached, she caught the clean fresh scent of someone who had just gotten out of the shower.

He wrapped his hand over hers. "Selina I'm so sorry to have kept you. You look better than I expected. Your assistant said you had been quite unwell?"

Colour flooded her cheeks and she scolded herself mentally. "I was. But I feel lots better now. Thank you for the flowers."

He smiled, that boyish, coy smile and her insides crumbled. "I'm glad to hear it. You'll have to forgive the way I look. I was painting in the east wing and I ended up with half the can over me so I jumped in the shower. Alfred has been having problems with the new appliances, the washing machine being one of them, so I'm down to my slacks I'm afraid."

Selina found herself grinning up at him like she was a ten year old. "Oh, you look fine to me!"

Realising that he still had her fingers entwined with his, she slipped her arm back to her side determined to get the upper hand back. Keeping her lips pressed she reached into her purse and pulled out a small memory stick.

"I brought all the files I was sent from Italy and I thought we could take a look at them when you're ready?" she pressed it into his hand and he raised his eyebrows.

"Straight to business, huh? Ok, you feel like a tour of the place while Alfred makes us some dinner?"

Selina laughed. "I would love one!"

Bruce ushered her back into the hallway, her heels clicking over the marble floor. She cast her eyes at the sweeping stone staircase. Closing her eyes briefly, she remembered running down them, her heart broken as the police took Jack away. Hiding a shudder that crossed over her shoulders, she smiled when he turned to look at her.

"Did you add anything to the old house?" she asked, trying to stay focussed. It didn't seem to matter that she hadn't been in the house that long, but the place held a lot of memories for Selina. It was from this place that she had begun on a new course.

Bruce shoved his hands in his pockets as they began to walk up the stairs, shoulder to shoulder.

"A couple of new rooms sprung up from the old plans but nothing major. I wanted to keep it as it was out of respect for my father. He designed so much of what you see now."

Selina folded her arms, feeling a little chill in the air. "It's a beautiful house. Don't you get lonely out here all by yourself?"

He smiled wryly as they rounded the corner, onto the first floor landing. This area was thickly, carpeted and Selina's heels sunk into the lush, red pile. Not wanting to make heel marks, she bent down and began unbuckling her shoes.

"What are you doing?" Bruce laughed as she kicked one of her heels free.

"Its brand new carpet!" she hissed. "I'll ruin it if I don't take them off." She gritted her teeth in annoyance for the buckle was being stubborn and bending at an angle was making her ribs hurt.

He raised his eyebrows and got to his knees on the floor, grinning up at her as he took her foot in his hand. Selina straightened, laughing as he wrestled with the buckle, loosening it so that he could slip the shoe off. For a moment, her breath caught in her throat, staring down at him as he held her ankle in his lap. Sighing he let her go and she caught her balance.

"Its very kind of you to worry about my carpet," he appeared to be swallowing, a streak of red crossing across his cheekbones. "But what were you asking?"

"I asked if you were lonely Mr. Wayne?" she quickly regained her composure. "Just you and your butler in this massive place, it must get really quiet sometimes?"

He climbed to his feet, handing her shoe back to her. "Quiet but never boring. I'm a solitary man and I can stand the silence. And call me Bruce by the way."

Selina retrieved her other shoe from the floor and held them by the straps. Glancing behind her she eyed two massive stone walls, completely empty and instantly saw potential for at least two pieces to hang very nicely.

"You should have one on this wall and then another on this facing wall," she gestured with her hands, aware that he was staring intently at her profile. "I'm worried that they might look a little small though. It's bigger here than I thought!"

When he didn't reply, she gazed back at him, noting his serious expression. Her stomach lurched suddenly as he inched a little closer to her, his arms folded over his broad chest.

"Is something the matter?" she asked and he shook his head.

"Nothing is the matter. But I wonder why you never mentioned that you were at my fundraiser all those months ago? When I mentioned to Alfred that I was bringing you here, your name rang a bell with him and he told me."

Sucking in her breath, Selina knew she had been rumbled. She forced her face to keep neutral and tilted her head to one side, wondering why he had chosen to bring it up now.

"I don't know why I didn't mention it," she answered honestly. "To be honest so much happened that night. I was a last minute invite anyway...Rachel Dawes asked me to come as she had come into the gallery that afternoon. I know she was a good friend of yours."

She noticed his eyes darken briefly. He lowered his gaze and Selina felt the heat leave her skin.

"How did you get out of the building?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "I don't remember seeing you."

At that Selina laughed, knowing that she had been well and truly busted. A blush crossed her cheeks and he noticed, mirroring her smile.

"Well there you have me...I was having a snoop. I saw you make your....very _exciting _entrance with two _very _attractive women and when you were talking I decided to have a look around. I'm an extremely nosy person I'm afraid!" she saw that he was chuckling and relaxed her shoulders.

"And how did you get out?" he probed. Selina's face broke into a grin.

"Actually I ran into Batman. Can you believe it? He very roughly pointed me in the right direction, scaring me nearly half to death I might add! So I slipped out of the fire escape."

Bruce shook his head. "What a guy, huh?"

"He comes in handy," Selina laughed. A sad look passed through his eyes.

"I'm sorry if he frightened you though," he apologised and Selina shook her head from side to side.

"Why should you be sorry? He got me out. And then from what I heard, broke up your party. I'd thank him if I ever saw him," she insisted and with that Bruce's face relaxed, his features softening with his boyish smile.

"So you were saying about these walls...?" he turned back to the two blank canvases looming down at them. Selina spent the next forty five minutes following him around the upper floor, identifying areas where some of her larger pieces could fit. In her head she totalled up that the millionaire had spent nearly forty thousand dollars so far and he hadn't even broken a sweat.

She noticed that when she spoke, he didn't seem to be listening to her, more studying her face, his eyes narrowing and creasing at the corners when she said something mildly amusing. By the time they were back in the kitchen and Alfred was serving up dinner, she felt very hot around the collar, like she'd been analysed.

To her surprise they ate in the kitchen, which was comfortable and more relaxing than in one of the massive ballrooms she'd seen on her tour. Those rooms were large and oppressive and didn't seem to fit well with either of the two men. She realised that they were a little family unit and this was how they ate everyday and she felt quite flattered that they hadn't put on all their airs and graces for her. Selina felt included and oddly at home.

When Alfred offered to leave them alone to eat in private, Selina insisted that he stayed. Bruce didn't seem to mind either. Selina's private reasoning was that she needed a break from Bruce's intense watchful gaze and Alfred certainly lightened the mood. Selina knew that she was completely attracted to Bruce and felt it was almost unbearable to be alone with him for too long.

She wondered at how many women he had included in his life. She wondered at how many of them managed to cope with his shifting moods and intensity. Maybe that was the reason why he lived alone and had never married? There was certainly something deeper to Bruce Wayne than the playboy lifestyle he portrayed. There was darkness in him and it was so palpable, Selina could almost taste it.

"That was wonderful thank you," Selina thanked the older man, pushing her plate away. He smiled and took it away from her.

"Why don't you two go and sit in the living room while I make some tea?" he offered but Selina held up her hands after glancing at the clock. It was nearly ten thirty. She didn't know where the time had gone and she was also aware that her pain medication was wearing off.

"I'm so sorry to break this up but I have a really early start in the morning and I didn't realise it had gotten so late!" she turned to Bruce apologetically. "I hope you don't mind but what with my recent illness I've barely been in my own gallery."

Bruce shook his head. "Of course. I'll drive you back."

Selina felt her stomach bubble. "I've had a wonderful time. You have such a beautiful home!"

Alfred waited at the door with her as Bruce went to fetch the car. Lights appeared out of the darkness and a grey, metallic Porsche pulled up on the gravel. Selina turned to the old butler and smiled gratefully.

"Thanks for a lovely dinner!" she leaned forward and hugged him tightly, like he was an old Uncle she hadn't seen in years. Instantly she recognised his cologne, obviously he had loved the same one all these years.

"It's been nice to see you again Miss Kyle," he smiled. The wind was whipping up, blowing through her tousled curls. With the half lights of the headlamps on her face, she threw a smile back at him. "And I hope we see you here again. It's almost as if you belong here, you know."

Selina felt a familiar rush of emotion and biting down tears she wrapped her pashmina tightly around her. Just as she stepped onto the gravel, she heard the old man close behind her. He gently took her arm and pulled her back a step. Narrowing her eyes, she looked up at him as he bent towards her face, whispering something into her ear.

"Never be afraid to admit where you come from, Selina," he said. His words sent a chill up her spine. "We all have a past...even someone like me. You've grown up into quite a lovely young woman."

Selina stepped back and met his knowing eyes, which were twinkling down at her.

"Am I wrong?" he asked and she shook her head weakly. "I thought not. I never forget a face, especially not one like yours."

A look of pure terror must have passed through her eyes, for the older man reached for her hand and squeezed it affectionately. "Your secret is safe with me, Miss. I hope you find what you're looking for."

She tried to smile but found she was too weak. And the pain was beginning to kick in. As she climbed into the sleek interior of the Porsche out of the wind, she realised dimly that he had known who she was the whole time. Bruce was eyeing her quizzically as she strapped herself in.

"He didn't ask you out on a date or something did he?" Bruce joked and at that Selina forgot her nerves and laughed. "Because he might look old but I wouldn't put it past him!"

"No...nothing like that at all. He's a lovely man." The car sped out of the drive with such force that she found her fingers gripping the leather seat underneath her. Bruce must have noticed and altered his speed to a normal pace. It was pitch darkness and they were speeding through the vast empty countryside.

"Sorry...I always drive like someone's chasing me," he told her casually. He flicked on the radio so that it was low enough not to interrupt them, but kept the mood light in the car.

"Maybe someone is," she chided and he laughed. "You sure have a fair amount of press. It seems like every week you're in the gossip columns with a new woman on your arm!"

She saw his profile change, his eyes crease at the corners and she realised that the comment had come out far more snide than she had intended it to.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean that your some kind of womaniser....I just meant that it must be hard having your private life all over the papers!" she explained and he shrugged casually.

"The press love to pair me off. Half the time it's me playing with them. They love to speculate who the future Mrs. Wayne will be. But I know that when that day comes they'll attack her more than they attack me and I don't want that for anyone I love. The women you see with me...like the ones I had with me at the fundraiser are models that I hire to be there. It gives the press something to write about!"

Selina raised her eyebrows at his honesty. "And it gives the models more press which is great for their careers!"

He faced her and threw her a disarming smile. "I'm a nice guy, what can I say?"

"You are a puzzle," she agreed with a sigh and that earn a chuckle from him.

"Do you like puzzles?" he teased and in the darkness Selina blushed. In the distance the lights of Gotham were approaching. She could make out the black shapes of jutting skyscrapers penetrating the night sky. The cloud of smog that hung like a blanket over the city appeared illuminated.

"Only if I know I can solve them," she answered after a while. "I'm a bad looser."

He laughed. "That's something else we have in common."

The car wound through the darkened streets. The bars and clubs were beginning to empty, filling the streets with people walking aimlessly around, laughing and drinking. Bruce pulled the car up to Selina's building, letting the engine hum gently. Pressing her lips together, Selina barely knew what to say.

"So...I'll order those pieces for you tomorrow and hopefully they will be with me in the next couple..."

"When can I see you again?" he interrupted forcibly and Selina stared at his profile in the darkness. Her skin was scorching with anticipation. She hadn't expected to feel like this. It seemed like only five minutes ago she had been on the fire escape stairs, kissing another, very different man.

Guilt coursed through her at what she now knew was almost inevitable. Bruce leaned across the seat, his breath warm on her skin as he unbuckled her safety belt, letting it slip across her lap. Keeping her hands rigid at her sides and desperate not to react to him, he brushed his mouth against hers, parting her lips gently with his own. Swallowing she kissed him back, completely on fire, finding that she had reached for him , entwining her fingers in his soft hair.

When he pulled away she blinked at him, struggling to breathe at a normal speed.

"I'm free Monday," she offered and he kissed her again, sending her insides into a crazy dance.

"Not soon enough I'm afraid," he whispered against her cheek. "How about tomorrow?"

"Alright," she answered, and then mentally scolded herself for reacting like a teenager desperate for a date with the most popular boy in school.

"I'll come and get you for lunch," he told her and she nodded, hating herself for being so weak. Unsteadily she pulled out of his arms, flinging the car door open, the fresh air welcome as it hit her face. Selina's legs were like jelly as she raced for the gallery door, fumbling in her purse for her key. Turning she saw Bruce backing up the car, clearly waiting for her to disappear safely inside before pulling away. She waved her fingers in the air, opening the door and stepping inside.

Watching from the window as he sped away, Selina didn't bother to turn on the lights. She pressed her face into her hands. What was wrong with her? She had just kissed Bruce Wayne. She liked him. He was gentle and sweet and normal. He wouldn't hurt her. Then why did she feel like she'd just betrayed another man? A man who would never be able to love anyone, because there was so little humanity left inside him.

A noise in the darkness made her stiffen. She strained her ears, her body tensing. But she was too late to react.

Her back arched, she sensed the intruder's eyes on her. Whirling about she let out a cry as the man, pressed her forcibly back against the glass door, slamming her already broken body against it. In the darkness she recognised his smell, recoiling as he pressed his face close to her. It was a strange mixture of alcohol and cheap aftershave.

Drawing back his fist, he punched her in the gut, making her scream out in agony. Eyes wide in the dark, she trembled, staring dismally at the intruders muddy scuffed boots.

Grabbing a fist full of her hair, he hauled her to her feet so that Selina could stare into his familiar blue eyes.

"Evening Princess," Elliot whispered, kissing her roughly on the mouth. "Miss me?"

////

When the Porsche had disappeared down the street, another pair of headlights glinted in the darkness. The man in the cab of the van rolled down the window, feeling heavy with anger and the sharp bitterness of disappointment was like a bad taste in his mouth.

He had watched the couple in the front of the expensive, shiny car, not really knowing why he was even here, or why what he saw bothered him so much. He started the van, letting it slide out from its hiding place.

Intrigue and old memories like unhealed wounds had drawn him back here tonight. He hadn't felt anything for so long. It was as if he'd suddenly remembered that he _could _feel. The little nerve endings in his fingertips itched and came to life. When he thought about her, something happened to the skin around his neck, it grew warm and he found that he was consumed by the feeling. It made him feel helpless and he wasn't used to that. He didn't like it.

He pulled the car away, the shadows of the cab hiding his horrifying face. That was when he heard her scream. Abruptly he turned off the engine and strained his neck out of the cab window. Now he was curious, now he would have to go and look. Rolling his eyes, he let out a soft growl of annoyance. He was about to do exactly what he swore not to.

Humming to himself, tunelessly he ambled out of the driver's seat, his coat flapping around him in the night breeze. He flicked out his knife, his shoulders hunched as he strolled casually across the street. The Joker didn't think she would be too happy to see him, after he'd promised that he wouldn't come near or by again.

He wondered why people believed him when he promised them something. He'd never kept his word in his whole life.

**A/N Phew. What did you think? I also wanted to add that I'm really sorry if I gave the impression that the relationship between Jack and Selina was completely over. I read my authors notes and realised I may have done this. There is going to be more Selina and Jack, just not as much fluff, is what I meant. Hope that's ok and sorry if I confused anyone! Also does anyone use twitter? I'm on it now and was wondering if anyone else was on it? I'm vneaves if anyone wants to be my friend? LBG xx**


	26. Elliot

**Hi everyone! Thank you all so much for all your kind reviews! I'm so pleased that I have broken the one hundred and fifty mark. Yay. You all have been so kind and supportive and I apologise for the delay in getting this one out there. **

**There are so many but thank you to the following; platinum 13, public humiliation, Olivia, angelika04, reality assassin, nhhanh2406, sarafina Knowles, heartbreaker with a heart of gold, omantyke, neurotic-isopod, the freelancer seal, weirdgirl 332 and an amazing name. If you're name isn't there then please consider yourself thanked!**

**Just to explain this is the flash back chapter I was promising and we do go back and forth in time so I hope it's not confusing. As always let me know what you think! xx**

**Elliot**

**Nineteen Years Earlier**

Selina waited five days before leaving Wayne Manor. After the morning of Jack's arrest, Selina had crumbled in on herself. She didn't speak or eat for a whole day, no matter how hard the nurses tried to encourage her.

And to her pure relief they left her alone. She spent her time wandering aimlessly through the grounds of Wayne Manor, avoiding the other children. She avoided Suzie and she especially kept away from Bruce Wayne. She felt them staring at her, their wide, confused eyes hot on her skin. She wasn't one of them any longer.

Inside she was irrevocably broken. It felt like her soul had been ripped in half. Each night she curled up and sobbed until her throat was raw. She couldn't get_ his_ face out of her head. She lay there night after night, her mind unwilling to let her rest. She became pale and ashen, hardly able to string a sentence together. She wondered what he was doing. She wondered if he was all alone. She wondered if he had cried and missed her like she missed him.

The adults of the house, continued to let her be. They had bigger problems, like their sudden loss of accommodation. They didn't see Selina fading away in the background, not that she would have accepted their help, if they had noticed her. When it rained one afternoon, Selina curled up on a window seat on the second floor landing. It was comfortable and she could watch the others playing in the puddles outside. It felt like a lifetime ago that she was one of them, young and untouched by the world. It was there she saw her means of escape.

She watched as a large, shiny white van rolled smoothly down the long driveway. From her position at the window she could see the driveway expand all the way back up to the road that disappeared into the thicket of trees. Numbly, she watched the van pull up and after a few moments a balding man climbed out with a clipboard in his hand.

As if in a dream, Selina rose to her feet. Wrapping her arms around her torso for warmth, she rounded the corridor, passing Suzie in the hall. Suzie had also been in her own little world of late. The little red head barely spoke anymore. Suzie was sitting cross legged on the floor by the staircase as Selina passed. Selina stopped in front of her and Suzie looked up at her through her bruised eyes.

"You want to get out of here?" Selina asked her voice tired and distant. "I'm only asking once and if we go then we have to go _now_."

Suzie stared up at her for the longest time, her thin lips pressed together tightly. After a sigh Suzie spoke.

"I can't stay here anymore," she whispered, her eyes filling up with water. Selina narrowed her eyes, annoyance passing through them fleetingly.

"Don't go crying on me," her jaw was clenched. "I'm not babysitting you. If you come then you have to be able to look out for yourself."

Suzie scrambled to her feet, wiping her nose on her shirt sleeve. "I'm in."

Selina hurried down the stone staircase, her footfalls light. She felt the fresh, cool air on her bare legs as she neared the huge oak door, that was open a jar. Peering through the crack she spotted Mr. Pennyworth helping the bald man unload groceries from the back of the van.

"This is bigger than your usual order!" the man was saying. Mr. Pennyworth wiped his dusty hands on the apron he was wearing over his pressed uniform. He took the clipboard from the man and began to run his finger along the list.

"Well I have about twenty more mouths to feed," he smiled to himself, then his brow furrowed. "I don't remember unloading any flour...can we check that before you go?"

Selina bit her lip, her heart racing in her chest. Suzie was breathing shallowly behind her, clutching Selina's shirt with her little fist. Selina threw her an urgent look over her shoulder.

"Now!" she hissed. Both men were rooting through the delivery, too preoccupied to notice two little girls sneak across the gravel behind them. Selina was sweating, despite the chilled air, her heart thumping in her ears, willing the older man not to look across his shoulder. Selina motioned for Suzie to get inside the van, helping the smaller girl up. Selina scrambled in after her. Both breathing erratically they ducked to the rear of the van, curling themselves up behind some milk crates.

Suzie was clutching Selina's clammy hand with her own. They ducked down as eventually the van door slammed shut. They both exhaled in harmony as the van pulled away. Selina felt her shoulders relax and she sunk down further in her crouched position.

"Are we going to be OK?" Suzie asked, her voice suddenly terrified and uncertain. Selina threw her a confident smile and she realised that it was the first time she had felt hopeful in days.

"We are," she said. "We're going to find Jack. He'll know what to do."

////

Present Day

A young male nurse gently pushed open the door to the private room. They were in the west wing of the newly rebuilt Gotham General. Everything smelt fresh and clean, but almost sterile, the air tinged with that strange air of sickness that seemed to cling to hospital wards. He was twenty three, sandy haired and terrified. He loathed the secure unit. This was where they brought in the people that really, should be incarcerated in a cell, not a hospital.

This particular patient had an entourage, but they weren't in blue police uniforms. This patient had been watched around the clock since her arrival. Obviously the Falcones didn't trust the GCPD with the safety of one of their most powerful family members. A man in a dark, pressed suit had blocked his path as he had approached. The nurse had shown him his badge and said he was here to check on the patient.

He poked his head around the door, eyeing the sleeping, dark haired woman in the bed. Her face was bruised and swollen, her hair splayed across the pillow. Another man was in the room, sitting upright in an uncomfortable looking chair. He had dark short hair, cut close to his scalp and long powerful looking legs that stretched out in front of him.

The other man's head snapped up when he saw the young nurse enter the room. He rose to his full height, towering above the boy, automatically blocking the path between him and the woman in the bed.

"What do you want?" he demanded in his clipped Italian accent. The boy stared up at him, feeling sweat beginning to trail down the back of his neck.

"I..I have a message from Miss Falcone," he stuttered. The man raised an eyebrow and pulled his suit jacket straight before crossing his arms.

"Oh really? Well, she's my cousin so anything you have to say to her you can say to me first."

The boy licked his dry lips nervously, folding his shaking hands into his pants pockets.

"I was told to give it to her alone" he kept his eyes lowered, feeling the dark heat from the man's gaze as he stared down at him. "I'm sorry..."

"Who exactly gave you this message?" the man barked.

The boy shook. "I don't know him.... He grabbed me in the alley by the staff entrance. He told me that if I didn't pass it on then he would know...he'll be waiting for me after work."

The man flexed his fingers in front of him, stretching out the tendons. He smiled grimly.

"Well if you don't tell me what it is now then you won't be _leaving _this room. Got it?"

He stepped forward, roughly taking a handful of the boy's hospital scrubs in his fist, pulling him inches off the polished floor. The boy made a pathetic noise from his throat and behind them the woman stirred in her bed.

"Anthony!" She sat up, propping herself up on her elbows. She had trouble speaking through her swollen lips, but she still managed to sound abrupt. "Let him talk."

Reluctantly the bigger man released the boy's scrubs and he fell back on his feet. Nervously he edged around Anthony and made his way to the edge of the bed. Rene made a groaning noise as she heaved herself back against her pillows.

Her eyes were bruised with dark shadows running under her thick bottom lashes. On arrival at Gotham General she had been resuscitated and had her stomach pumped. The effect of her near drowning had put enormous strain on her already weakened heart. Despite her condition, the now new head of the Falcone family still managed to appear intimidating.

"What is it?" she asked. She leaned away from the boy as her body was wracked by a coughing seizure. When she had recovered, she stared up at him through watery eyes.

"There is someone here to see you," he began, sucking in his breath. "He says...he knows how to deal with your...cat problem."

The boy looked away, clearly embarrassed but the older woman didn't laugh. Instead she leaned back against her pillow thoughtfully.

"Where is he?" she asked after a while.

"In the alley behind the hospital. I said I'd go fetch him if you agreed to see him."

The man she'd referred to as Anthony appeared on the other side of the bed. He leaned on the bed with his fists clenched, his bulk making the mattress sink slightly.

"Rene, you need rest. I'll take care of this."

"No!" she snapped, but her voice choked in her throat and she began to cough violently again. "It's because of her that my brother is _dead!_"

Anthony rolled his eyes. "It was the clown who killed Benito, not the woman."

Rene held up her hand. "We would never have been in that place if that little bitch hadn't cleared out half the money we own....the money that belongs to _my_ family. If this man can take care of her then I want to hear what he has to say."

Anthony opened his mouth to protest but she held up her finger, pointing it in his face to silence him. "Bring him up, Anthony."

Anthony pulled a face, that of tiredness and exasperation but nodded to the boy to exit the room. He shot his older cousin a worried glance before following the younger man outside, letting the door click shut behind them.

Rene, exhausted and pale fell back against the pillow below her head. Her lips cracking with dehydration she reached for the cup of water by her bedside and sipped it greedily. Every part of her that she could feel, ached. It hurt to breath, her lungs bruised and straining as she inhaled and exhaled. She closed her eyes, tears leaking out from under her lashes.

Rene had never been a helpless woman. After Carmine had forgiven her all those years ago for turning her back on her family, she had been indebted to him. He forged a very special place for her within the family business. At the time, the work he bestowed upon her sickened and appalled her. But she had no other choice.

As the years crawled by, so did her disgust. She found that she could tolerate their pleas for mercy. She grew cold to the sound of their cries of anguish. Their pain didn't seem to cut her anymore. She grew better at her work, more efficient and she always got results. This pleased Carmine and in return he rewarded her. Rene Falcone lived like a princess and it was hard to believe that she had ever struggled in that grotty children's home.

The work ate away at the remains of her soul, leaving her empty and hollow. She never married for she could never love. You had to have humanity to love. The only people she cared for were her two brothers. When Carmine had been taken away, she had cried. Her protector, her saviour was gone. And now Benito was dead and she was the last Falcone left.

Her family was coming apart at the seams and it was this woman who was the cause. Rene balled her hands into fists. She disliked being made to feel vulnerable. Stuck in this hospital she felt naked and frail. She was now the head of the most dangerous family in America.

////

**Nineteen years Earlier**

It had been a whole day since leaving Wayne Manor. The truck had stopped in a run down, dilapidated area just beyond the narrows. While he had been distracted Selina had sought their escape, taking Suzie's hand in hers and dragging her through the darkened alleys, not stopping until both their lungs were straining for breath.

Selina was beginning to regret her decision of bringing Suzie along. The little red head was frail and weak. She needed constant help and seemed to be permanently gripped with fear. She had also made it plain that she didn't like Selina's plan of finding Jack.

They had spent their first night curled up behind a dumpster in an alley behind a club. From the inside Selina could hear music and laughing. Her stomach growled with hunger and she longed for warmth and clean clothes. Suzie was nestled into her side like a limpet and Selina was growing annoyed at her friend's timid behaviour.

After a very agonising and uncomfortable second night of being tortured by cold and unrelenting rain, Selina made the decision that she had to adapt to this new world she had chosen. She also couldn't have Suzie tagging along everywhere they went. The girl was smaller and slowed her down. Suzie was also reluctant to find Jack and right now that thought alone was the only thing that kept Selina going.

Selina knew she needed to get them food and for now it seemed that she had stepped forward as the provider. There was a small but bustling market in the narrows and Selina had left Suzie at the dumpster, determined to find them some food. The smell of cooking meat and fresh fruit drew her there like a beacon and she wandered the stalls, her eyes bulging. Her stomach was practically eating itself, the raw, gnawing pain rotting through her insides. And Suzie was even weaker. Selina knew that she had to find a way to feed them both.

There was a stall selling cooked chicken legs and Buffalo wings. She lurked by the stall for close to half an hour, wandering back and forth, trying to pick the right moment to take the freshly cooked meat that was taunting her. After what seemed like an eternity, Selina lunged. The stall holder, a woman in her late fifties saw the dirty, ragged looking girl leaping towards her food and was too late. Selina stuffed the meat into her skirt, holding it up like an apron. The woman cried out and alarm and bells fired in Selina's head.

Her heart thumping wildly, she took off down the street, the hot meat burning her skin as she ran. She didn't care. She was fuelled by terrible hunger and pain. Someone was chasing her. She heard their footsteps close behind her.

"_Stop!_" the woman cried. "You have to pay for that!"

Selina was suddenly wrenched sideways, so violently that she almost dropped her loot. A boy, tall, lanky and blonde had grabbed her wrist and was tugging her down a dark, narrow chasm off the market that smelled horribly of urine.

"Can you climb?" he yelled at her, his blue eyes suddenly close to her own. Selina spluttered and shook her shoulders.

"Then _move_!" he motioned to a metal ladder that was nailed to one of the brick walls. Holding on with all her strength, Selina hauled herself up onto the first wrung of the ladder, her legs weak and her bicep muscles trembling.

Her breath caught in her throat, she followed the boy up, watching as his ankles disappeared over the top of the roof. Selina let out a cry as she collapsed over the top, falling on her bottom, letting her stolen food spill onto the ground. Staring at it momentarily, she seized one of the wings and bit into it greedily.

It was so good that she almost cried, her stomach reacting to the sudden assault. Her head suddenly spinning, she ducked sideways and vomited.

"Not so fast princess!" the boy laughed, giving her a rough pat on the back. "You're a feral little thing aren't you?"

Selina wiped her mouth, too tired to feel that embarrassed. The boy was sitting about a metre from her, watching her with interest. He was older than her, she guessed. He looked older than Jack but not as old as the boy from the caravans. He was very thin, his cheekbones jutting out and his chin quite sharp.

His eyes were a steel blue and he looked about as filthy as she was.

"Who are you?" she asked, suddenly timid.

"I'm Elliot," he answered smoothly. "And you are?"

She stared at him. His shoulders, although bony were broad and she guessed that he must be about sixteen. "I'm Selina."

"How old are you?" he tilted his head, rubbing his chin with his fingers.

Selina straightened her shoulders. "I'm twelve," she lied easily. She didn't know why she lied but it wouldn't be the first time she would lie to him.

Elliot smiled at her. It was a smile that lifted his otherwise sombre face. He nodded to the food on the ground and without taking her eyes off him, she reached for it. She gobbled through it in silence, while he watched her. When she was done, she tossed away the bones.

"Better?" he smiled at her and she nodded. He folded his arms across his chest.

"So what's your story princess?" he asked. "You look new to all of this."

Selina furrowed her brow. "I...we ran away. I'm looking for my friend Jack."

He nodded thoughtfully. "You know where he is?"

Selina shook her head. "The police took him away....I don't know where he is."

Elliot lifted his eyebrows. "Well...wouldn't he be in the police station? Have you looked yet?"

Selina blinked back tears, suddenly emotional. "No..."

Elliot leaned towards her and patted her shoulder. "Don't cry babe!" he laughed.

Suddenly embarrassed for breaking down, she wiped her dirty face. His sudden closeness startled her but she didn't wriggle away when he slid his arm across her shoulders, in fact it was oddly comforting and the first time she had felt warm in what felt like a lifetime.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I really should get back to my friend."

He nodded and removed his arm. Then he pinched her cheek playfully. She looked up and him and immediately noticed how strikingly blue his eyes were.

"Why don't I come with you?" he suggested. "We'll find your other friend and then we can go look for Jack?"

Selina didn't know why he was being so nice, she didn't even know him. She knew then that she should have been suspicious. She should have read the warning signs. But she was scared and she was tired and Elliot looked like he could help her.

Dismally she took his outstretched hand he hauled her to her feet. Elliot helped her down the ladder and suddenly they were back down in the alley again.

"We better get out of here quick," Elliot cast her a warning glance. "That stall holder would have told the police by now!"

Shivering, Selina nodded following the taller boy back down the alley. She described the location of their dumpster very badly, but Elliot seemed to know where she meant. The light in the sky was fading, the day progressing into another grey Gotham afternoon. Wrapping her arms around her torso, Selina followed him through the winding alley ways. They walked almost shoulder to shoulder, as Selina nearly matched his height.

"So where are you from?" Elliot asked casually, stuffing his hands into his jean pockets.

"Humberside," she answered, the colour gone from her voice. "But it burned down."

Elliot nodded. "Yeah I heard!"

Selina darted her eyes at him in surprise. "You did?"

"Yeah," he shrugged. "You get to hear a lot when you hang out in the joints that I do. It's a shame...it sounded like a good place. You guys were the lucky ones!"

Selina raised her eyebrows. "Lucky?"

Elliot made a face at her, his lips curling in a smile. "Well _yeah_. Orphans in the city don't have many choices....it's either a place like Humberside...or you end up in one of Carmine Falcone's factories. Or you live like me!"

Selina suddenly went cold. "Carmine Falcone? That's where Jack was before he came to Humberside!"

Elliot made a noise in his throat and smiled down at her sadly. "Then he wasn't so lucky. It's getting harder to avoid them now...kids go missing all the time around here."

The words cut through her like a blade and she fought down the dizziness that swept over her. What had she gotten her and Suzie into? If they couldn't find Jack how long would it be before she was caught up in the Falcone family web?

It wasn't long before they stumbled across their dumpster. Suzie timidly poked her head out from behind it and warily eyed Selina's new companion. Suzie's fear seemed to ebb the moment Selina presented her with a battered looking chicken wing. The younger girl tore into it greedily.

"We're going to find Jack," Selina announced when the red head was finished and wiping her mucky hands on her shirt. "Elliot is going to help us."

Suzie made a reluctant whining noise in her throat. "Selina I don't know...he could be anywhere."

Selina bit on her lower lip, tired of her friend's unhelpful moaning. "I can't leave him. I promised I would find him."

Suzie folded her arms across her small chest, the sudden rush of nourishment giving her a new strength.

"Look Selina...I didn't want to say anything before. But Jack is _dangerous _and you know it!"

The way Suzie was standing, with her legs apart and her arms tightly folded reminded Selina of the day she had attacked her in the hallway at Humberside. The smaller girl was filled with fear and ignorance and it was startlingly clear that Suzie had never intended to help her at all. Selina's face flamed with embarrassment as she cast her eyes in Elliot's direction.

"I feel like I'm in the middle of something here," he cleared his throat. "Why don't I leave you two alone?"

"No!" Selina snapped angrily. "If she doesn't want to help me find Jack then she can _stay _here!"

Elliot held up his hands. "Sounds like this Jack is quite a guy."

Suzie exhaled sharply, her face tense. "Oh, he is. He's a _murderer_!"

Selina's eyes went wide. "Suzie..."

"Oh Selina _wake _up!" Suzie snarled. "You think we didn't all know that he killed that kid from the caravans. That he set that _fire!_"

"Ok, Ok girls!" Elliot joked, stepping between the two younger ones. "I have a suggestion. It's going to be dark in an hour or so and trust me you _don't _want to be caught out here. I'm surprised you lasted as long as you have. Why don't I take you to my place and we talk about this in the morning?"

Selina folded her arms and sniffed and Suzie rolled her eyes. Reluctantly they both agreed, neither of them fond of the idea of staying out here another night. They headed deeper into the narrows. Elliot strolled ahead of them quietly, Selina slightly to his side and Suzie dragging her feet behind them.

"Is your home...safe?" Selina asked and Elliot smiled grimly down at her.

"Well I've lasted this long haven't I?" he joked, his lips curling up into a smile. "But I don't know how much longer I can stay here."

Selina narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean? Are you thinking of leaving Gotham?"

Elliot gazed down at her, shrugging his shoulders up to his ears and then releasing them. He looked tired.

"There's talk of a kind of safe house in Metropolis for orphans. They give you a place to stay and you can earn your keep...it sounds like heaven compared to this life."

"Will you go?" Selina asked and he shrugged again.

"I don't have any reason to stay," he answered. They had arrived at what looked like an old rundown apartment block that hadn't been used in a long time. Elliot took them around back and motioned for them to climb up the fire escape. A window was broken open on the second floor, with dangerous glass shards still clinging to the inside of the frame. Elliot was the first to climb through.

"Careful!" he warned as Suzie slid inside. They were inside what was just a small box room, with the door to the hallway barricaded by a large steel bar. On the floor was a filthy looking mattress adorned with a quilt that looked like it needed throwing away. Despite all that, it was warm and dry and there seemed to be no rats. Elliot literally had nothing else except his makeshift bed, though Selina did notice that the waste paper bin was overflowing with juice boxes and empty candy bar wrappers. No wonder he was so wiry.

"You girls take the bed for tonight," Elliot offered and Selina reluctantly sat next to her friend who had already found her spot.

"Ouch!" Suzie yelped suddenly. She held up her hand and there was a small red mark on her arm. "Something pricked me!"

Selina narrowed her eyes as Suzie felt along the mattress and suddenly held up a small medical needle. Selina remembered Nurse Hayley giving her jabs one time with a needle that looked like that.

"What's that for?" Suzie asked, lifting her arm to her lips to lick away the blood that was trickling down it. In the half darkness of the room Elliot narrowed his eyes at her.

"It's my medicine," he answered dully. "I get sick sometimes."

"Oh, sorry," Suzie apologised, staring up at him timidly. If Selina had been on better form she would have noticed the sudden change in her new friend's voice. She would have noticed the darkening of his eyes. But right now she was exhausted. Temporarily forgetting their disagreement, Selina snuggled down next to Suzie, trying to ignore the fact that the pillow smelled of mould and dirt. It felt like only moments later she woke up shivering.

In the darkness she sat up, her heart racing and her throat dry. She stared around the room and found that only she and Suzie existed in it. Where was Elliot? Not wanting to disturb Suzie she made to try and squeeze past her, when she heard a shuffling sound. Peering through the darkness she could make out his form climbing in through the broken window.

"Selina...you alright?" he asked when he saw her sitting bolt upright.

"Where were you?" she shot at him accusingly. Why had she been so frightened? The relief of seeing him instantly made her sag back.

"I'm not a good sleeper," he explained, shuffling down next to her, winding his arm casually around her shoulder like he'd done that every day of his life. "I was just checking that's all."

Selina surprised herself by nestling against him. He was warm and she was so cold. Shivering, she didn't push him away when he wrapped his arms around her.

"So this guy....this Jack," he whispered in the dark. "Is he important to you?"

Selina lifted her chin to stare up at him. "He's my best friend."

"I know a guy that could help us track him down. First thing in the morning we'll go and find him. We'll find your Jack, I promise."

Smiling, Selina sniffed back a tear but he noticed and only held her tighter.

"I'm going to take care of you," he whispered into her hair and she nodded, letting herself drift back to sleep against his chest.

Then there was screaming. Selina opened her eyes wide, her arms wildly flying through the air. Someone had her ankles and was dragging her across the floorboards. She whimpered as her chin bumped across the floor.

"_Selina help me_!" came the shrill sound that startled her senses. In the darkness she saw Elliot wrestling on the floor with a man in a suit. She watched in horror as the man pounded his fist into Elliot's face, knocking his head back against the floorboards.

Someone grabbed Selina under the arms and she was hauled upright. Her vision was clearing and that was when she saw the very thing that would haunt her for the rest of her childhood. Suzie was being dragged backwards through the broken window by two men. Selina saw the look of pure terror on the girl's face before a bag was forced over her head.

"Selina!" Suzie screamed. "_Help me!_"

One of the men punched Suzie in the face and her little body sagged like a doll. One of them threw her easily over their shoulder and disappeared down the fire escape.

Selina felt the man holding her tighten his grip. What on earth was happening? Without thinking Selina sank her teeth into the forearm that was wrapped around her neck. The man howled and threw her loose. Staggering slightly, she was on her feet in moments and scrambling through the broken window. Scrapping her knees on broken glass she landed on the metal fire escape just in time to see the men below shoving Suzie's form into the back of a van.

Her lungs straining, she lunged for the van doors, narrowly missing one of the men who grappled for her. She threw open the door with what little strength she had but what she saw inside made her go cold. The van was full of children. They were all the same, half unconscious shivering in the darkness, with their heads cased in bags.

"Don't just stand there, _push _her in!" one of the men yelled. Selina moved too quickly for him. She slipped through his hands like an eel and swiftly kicked him in the shins, which sent him to the ground. Elliot was running for her.

Catching her hand in his, they took off down the alley as fast as they could. They didn't stop running until both of them were almost out of energy. Selina sagged against a brick wall, covering her face with her hands. Elliot was bent double struggling for breath. His face was a mess of cuts and bruises.

"What..?" Selina spluttered. "What happened?"

Elliot shook his blonde hair. "They were Carmine's men. I told you...kids don't last long around here!"

Tears were tracking down her face. "But where are they _taking _them? What'll happen to Suzie?"

She was shaking so hard that she curled her knees up to her chest. Elliot dropped down in front of her and took her trembling shoulders.

"I don't know...they'll put her to work in one of his sweat shops. I can't believe they found me. They must have been tracking me a while...I'm so sorry Selina but I can't help you find your friend. I have to leave Gotham!"

Selina wept into her hands and Elliot pulled her against him. "Suzie...I did this to her!"

"It's not your fault princess," he whispered. He let her go and she fell back against the wall. "I can't stay here."

"_Wait!_" Selina grabbed his sleeve. "You can't just leave me here!"

Elliot chewed on his lower lip, his eyes hot on hers in the dark. "Then come with me."

Selina shook her head wildly. "I have to save Suzie!"

Elliot grabbed her shoulders again, a little too hard this time. "You can't Selina. Suzie will have to help herself from now on. Come _with_ me."

Selina spluttered. Everything was going so horribly wrong. What had she done? She had destroyed Suzie's life by bringing her out here. And what about Jack? She had promised to find him.

"Jack needs me," she whispered. "I said I would find him."

"Listen," Elliot commanded and she quietened. "Let's go find that place in Metropolis. Let's get some money and find a safe place. Then when things calm down here, we'll come back to Gotham. Give me a month Selina...and I promise we'll come back and find your friend!"

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him. When Selina would look back in years to come she would realise her mistake of trusting him. Weakly she nodded, tears still stinging her skin. Elliot rocked her and dimly she realised that she couldn't remember anyone holding her like this. She had never allowed it before.

"You're going to be safe with me," he said, resting his chin on top of her head. "I'm never going to let anyone touch you."

That part was to become very true. Elliot had been the jealous type. Selina hadn't known back then. She had never seen it coming. She hadn't seen it coming the first time he hit her outside a nightclub in Chicago when some guy had offered to buy her a drink when she was eighteen. She hadn't seen it coming when he burned her with a cigarette lighter when she had smiled and chatted with their neighbour in London.

Selina hadn't known then that the boy, who was holding her like a child in the alley way, was to become many things. He would grow into the man she would love despite his ugliness. He would become her saviour, her teacher and her lover. And then one day, he would become her hunter.

////

Present Day

Rene Falcone sat up in the hospital bed, smoothing out the sheets with her old hands. She wasn't a patient woman but she waited for her visitor. Awkwardly she smoothed out her greying hair, tucking stray strands behind her ears.

Eventually the door opened and Anthony came in, followed by another man. Anthony looked at her sceptically as the stringy looking man peered at her over his shoulder. The first thing she noticed was his steel blue eyes, like bright jewels beaming out at her. Then she noticed at how badly he was dressed, his over sized clothes barely clinging to his lanky frame.

Anthony stepped aside. "This is Mr. Hunt," the bigger man introduced him. "He says he has information on 'The Cat'."

Rene waved her cousin aside and nodded her head toward the empty seat by her beside. The man shuffled his head across the floor, dumping himself into the chair and stretching out his legs. Rene eyed him quizzically. He was much younger than her but she decided that if he cleaned himself up he would be quite attractive.

His features were sharp, with jutting cheekbones and a pointy jaw, which was shadowed by the beginnings of a beard. His blonde hair was dirty and scraped back off his head. He grinned up at her to reveal even, cigarette stained teeth.

"I hear you have a little problem," he cleared his throat and Rene rolled her eyes. She could easily see him for what he was, which was a chancer. He reminded her of the dodger from 'Oliver Twist', a book she'd so loved as a child.

"Well I hear you have information," Rene smiled thinly. "So I'd suggest you tell me what I want to know before I get bored."

He raised his eyebrows. "Well straight to business then...fine. I hear that the woman who calls herself the 'Cat' has been a bit of a problem?"

Rene snorted. "She killed my brother."

The man leaned forward, linking his fingers together. "I can take care of it for you. You see...we go back a ways. You could say that I made her the woman she is today."

Rene grinned. "Then maybe I should shoot you instead."

The weasel held up his hands and Rene instantly didn't like him. "Well you could but then where does that leave you?"

Rene was growing tired.

"I'll pay you well," Rene shook her head. "But I want proof and I want it quick. I'm no longer interested in small talk. One of my men will be watching you in case you decide to step out of our deal."

The man grinned. "I wouldn't expect anything else. You'll have your proof. Believe me, I want her dead as much as you do and I have my reasons...she..."

Rene rolled her eyes skyward. "I really have no interest in your reasons Mr. Hunt. If you can take care of this then you'll be rewarded. I want a clear and concise message sent out there that nobody will humiliate the Falcone family again."

The man nodded his head. "Consider it done, boss."

The man shuffled out of the room, past her ape of a guard and into the quiet hospital corridor. Shoving his hands in his pockets he sauntered out of the hospital and back out into the fresh afternoon air. He had missed Gotham. He had missed his girl.

Elliot pulled out a cigarette, throwing it between his teeth before lighting it. The night Selina had slunk out of their apartment with all of his money; Elliot swore that his girl was eternally stupid. She should have pulled the trigger and killed him where he slept. She should have known that he would come for her. He always came for her.

But Selina still had a heart inside that beaten, stone cold body. Elliot planned on tearing it in two.


	27. There's My Girl

**Hi everyone! This is a bit of an epic chapter I'm afraid. It took a while to write too. I want to say a huge thank you to all those who have recently started reading this story and to those who are faithful reviewers! Without you I wouldn't write as fast.**

**There's My Girl**

In the darkness of the gallery, Selina slipped to the floor. Her knees slid easily across the smooth polished floor. She quietened her breathing and listened. Somewhere in this room, Elliot was watching her.

Selina shivered her back stiffening. Wasn't he always? Sweat beaded on her neck and she wished that she were on better form. She wished that she hadn't suffered the beating of her life this week. She could really do with the extra energy. It had literally knocked the life out of her to fight him back.

Elliot Hunt looked frail and he appeared to be thin under the over sized clothes he wore. But people always misjudged him. He was deadly and cunning. He wasn't afraid to go that extra mile to get the job done. Nothing was too near the wire for him.

After he had pinned her to the door, knocking the breath out of her, a car had started up in the road opposite. The headlights had momentarily caught him off balance, startling him and Selina had lunged. She had wrapped her arms around his own, that were clenched around her neck. Using his weight and her strength, she had managed to lift her heels off the ground, bringing up her knees and forcing her feet into his torso. Air had whooshed through his teeth as he had staggered backwards.

"Nice move," he had chuckled when he could breathe. "I remember teaching it to you."

Selina, fuelled with anger and fire, moved languidly to her feet. She found him in the dark.

"Really?" she uttered. "How about this one?"

Grabbing a fistful of his dirty hair, she brought his face squarely into her kneecap. She heard his nose make a strange crack and he howled. Twisting Selina kicked him in the trachea, sending him sprawling to the ground, struggling for breath. Sagging back against the wall, she slid to her haunches, knowing that little trick would render him helpless for a while. She had tried it on Batman only a week or so ago and it had given her a perfect chance to escape.

"You can't take the credit for everything Elliot," she hissed, wiping the sweat off her brow. "What the _hell _are you doing here?"

This was surreal. It was only a few minutes ago that she was cocooned in the warmth of Bruce's car, kissing him. With her head spinning, she peered through the dark gallery, biting her lower lip. She could hear him breathing, a soft wheezing sound coming from his throat. After what seemed like an age, she saw his shape move in the dark. He stood.

"Where'd you learn that one princess?" he joked. "I'll have to get you to write that one down."

Slowly, pushing up from the balls of her feet she stood to match his height as he moved closer. She readied herself.

"Its seems that you can't keep yourself out of trouble," he mused, flexing his hands in front of him. "You've made someone very angry."

His reason for being here was suddenly, startling clear. Selina felt an odd mixture of betrayal and disappointment wash over her. After all their years together and he couldn't leave her alone. And now someone was paying him to get rid of her. She had loved him once. Once they had laughed together, at times so hard that she never imagined that she could be so at one with any other person. But that was when Elliot had been a human being. And you had to have a heart to love. Elliot's heart was just a black, dried up organ in his chest cavity.

"Let me guess...Rene Falcone?" Selina quizzed. "I thought that you were here because you just couldn't keep away from me? I got your note after all...I have to thank you for that by the way. It was just the kick start I needed!"

Shapes around her were finally becoming solid as her eyes adjusted to the room. She could see him more clearly now. The bones of his face were still as sharp and defined as ever, his lanky blonde hair still loose around his ears. His eyes were that cold, hard blue. She used to love his eyes. It was funny how things changed.

"You've been a busy girl Selina," he said thoughtfully. He reached into the pocket of his oversized trench coat and pulled out a small, black handled revolver. Selina stiffened and inched backwards. "New life...new man. Thanks for that little display in the car by the way...I wonder if the prince of Gotham knows that he's involved with a money grabbing little _bitch!_"

The last word came out in a snarl and it made Selina feel like she'd been slapped. She remembered all too well, Elliot's vile temper.

"It's not like that," she hissed through clenched teeth. He laughed, crossing his arms and tapping the barrel of the gun on his shoulder blade.

"I like your place," he waved the gun around, motioning to their surroundings. "Lots of very expensive...very breakable items..." He reached forward, lunging against one of the display cases by the desk. He made a snorting noise as he heaved and Selina opened her mouth to shout out but it was too late. The glass cabinet came crashing to the floor sending hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stock across the floor of the gallery. The sound of the glass smashing sent chills up her arms and her heart sank in her chest. She wondered then at how he had managed to get into the gallery at all without tripping the alarm. But then it was Elliot and if she could slip into any building unnoticed, then he could too.

"Hope you have insurance babe," he laughed. It was a croaky, guttural sound and Selina realised how much she despised him. How could you love someone so much and yet end up hating them?

"Elliot...get the _hell _out of here!" she cried. Every inch of her body was ready to fight him now and she wished he would make his move. He didn't seem to be listening.

"New life...but still the same, scared little girl looking for her prince charming." He looked behind him and eyed one of the new Italian pieces that Holly had ordered in for a customer. Selina wasn't quick enough. She watched in horror as Elliot ripped it from the wall and kicked a gaping hole through the centre, rendering it worthless.

There was a noise from the back and it stopped them both. It was a low, rumbling laugh that came from the centre of the throat. The laugh lifted to a higher octave and became a chuckle and Selina went icy cold. A figure appeared in the doorway to the stock room and he was preceded by a blast of cool air from the alley way door.

Selina watched in horror as The Joker stepped into the room. He was tossing his knife casually from one gloved hand to the other before finally stopping and flicking it away. He lifted his black painted gaze and met her terrified eyes.

"Well," he cleared his throat dramatically and held out his arms. "I'm no Prince Charming....but here I am never the less."

Selina watched as Elliot's face change. She could see him mentally sizing up the strange clown and also she could see him wondering if this was some kind of joke. Was someone setting him up?

Elliot waved the gun at Selina. "You're working with _this _guy? Well babe...I have to give you points for that...I didn't see that coming!"

Selina was staring at the Joker, too dumbfounded to say anything. He was staring back and forth between the pair of them, obviously curious and amused. This was becoming more and more bizarre. It gave Selina a sharp jolt to the system to see him again. He was freshly made up, the grease paint glistening on his face in the half light of the gallery.

"What are you _doing _here?" she hissed at him. "You said you wouldn't come back!"

The Joker lifted his eyes skyward. "Err...well, I lied. Also you have my shirt and I want it back."

"Get out of here!" Selina cried and Elliot threw her a glare.

"Get rid of the freak Selina...you and I have business."

The Joker stepped forward, almost shoulder to shoulder with Elliot. It instantly surprised Selina at how much taller Jack was than Elliot.

"See that's where I have a problem," the Joker clicked his tongue. "Who are _you _working for?"

Elliot seemed to shrink, forgetting that he was armed and that the Joker only had a knife. Selina could tell he was clearly knocked off balance by the sudden intrusion. Also in the darkness Jack appeared surreal, as if he'd just stepped out of a child's nightmare.

"Let me answer that seeing as you suddenly lack the power of speech...Rene Falcone?" the Joker probed and Elliot inched away.

"I don't have to answer you, clown!" Elliot said but the noise that came out of his mouth lacked any kind of conviction. The Joker shook his head enthusiastically.

"You're boss doesn't want _her._ She's made a terrible error."

Elliot shook his head. "I'm pretty clear in my instructions."

"If you have business with anyone it's me. I'm the one who killed her brother. And I'd like the credit for it!"

Elliot made a noise like a choked laugh but Selina didn't know why he found that funny.

"Falcone wants the 'Cat' in a body bag and she's prepared to pay me well. And Selina owes me. If you have a problem with that..."

The Joker glanced over his shoulder at Selina who was pinned to the wall. His eyebrows drew together as he stared at her and she swallowed hard.

"Jack...get out of here," she closed her eyes. "This is between us."

Then something happened that made them all silent. Selina heard footsteps on the floor above. The Joker appeared to be following the steps with his eyes. They were coming from in her apartment above. The sweat that was on her neck suddenly went ice cold. The footsteps were suddenly out of the door and slowly creeping down the stairs, inching down closer and closer. Selina opened her mouth but no sound would come.

Oh, no, please, please, Selina begged silently. Someone was on the other side of the door, carefully inching it open. Oh, Holly...no!

The door opened, only a fraction from where Elliot was standing. His own eyes widened as the dark haired girl appeared in the doorway, her dressing gown wrapped tightly around her. She must have stayed over to help Selina when she came home from her date with Bruce Wayne. Selina cursed her best friend and loved her at the same time.

Holly had no time to react. Selina screamed out her name but it was too late. Elliot grappled her to the ground and Holly let out a shrill cry as he pulled her up against him, pressing the gun to her temple.

"Selina?" Holly cried in terror. "What's going on?"

"Holly it's alright!" Selina held out her hands. "It's _going_ to be fine. Elliot..._please _let her go. She isn't part of this!"

Elliot gave the smaller girl a vicious squeeze earning a yelp from her. "No it isn't going to be fine Holly," he laughed in her ear. "Your friend has gotten you into a lot of trouble...you're friend has gotten you killed. Don't you just _hate _her?"

Selina couldn't wait a second longer. She dived to the floor, sliding across it easily, using her weight to spin her so that she kicked Elliot's shins. Luck was on her side as he became unbalanced and lost his grip on Holly. Selina pulled Holly away and met Elliot's fist as she climbed to her feet. Stumbling from the blow to her face, she fell backwards and landed in a pair of arms.

The Joker hauled her to her feet, spinning her around on her heels. Their faces only inches apart he winked at her and to her horror threw her back across the room towards Elliot, who caught her and kicked her to the ground. The Joker laughed insanely, obviously enjoying the sight of the struggle that he was staking no part in. Selina fought Elliot, dodging his blows and managing to land a few of her own. She managed to kick the gun free and it rattled to the floor.

In the corner Holly looked on terrified, her hands covering her mouth. Selina had Elliot on the ground, straddling him and managed to hit him squarely in the jaw, enjoying the sound his head made when it hit the floor.

Elliot also seemed to be enjoying the fight. "There's my girl!" he roared. "I knew that this new look of yours was a fake. I know the real woman under the clothes....or don't you remember?"

He hit her hard and she fell to the ground, struggling to breath. Fighting Elliot wasn't like fighting anyone else. It was like fighting the other half of yourself. The half that knew all your tricks and knew what was coming next. He was right about one thing. He really did know the real Selina.

"Stop it..._just stop_!" Selina cried, hardly able to move. She tasted copper in her mouth and spat out blood on the floor. "Just let Holly go. This is between us...and Jack...for _god sake_ get out of here!"

It seemed that everyone but Selina had forgotten the clown in the corner. He had been watching the whole thing and she couldn't take the humiliation any longer.

"But...I want to see how the show ends!" he protested flapping his arms in the air, his voice cracking with laughter. "I hate missing the ending."

"Jack...._please_ just go!" Selina yelled, pain slicing up her side. Every part of her was in agony. She had skidded across broken glass and her hands were cut and bleeding. Plus her face felt swollen and hot from where Elliot had hit her.

On the floor Elliot also seemed to be struggling. He wasn't used to this new super fit Selina and was interested in where she'd learnt her new moves. He wiped his bloodied mouth on his shirt sleeve and sat up. It was then his face changed, his eyes narrowed and his mouth formed an 'O' of surprise. It was then Selina realised her mistake.

"Wait a minute...."Elliot rubbed the growing bump on the back of his head. "Did you just call him .._.Jack_?"

The three of them looked from one to the other. Elliot stared at the strange visitor clad in purple, staring at his odd, surreal face makeup. As though he knew he were being studied, the Joker stepped sideways, his heated eyes never leaving Elliot's face. Selina's heart ripped in her chest, knowing all too well what was to come.

"You're...is this 'the' Jack?" Elliot marvelled. "Holy crap Selina I owe you an apology. I thought you were making him up!"

"Elliot...don't!" Selina begged. She stared dismally up at her old lover and her old friend, her eyes moving between the two. Elliot had a look of pure enjoyment on his face. The Joker didn't appear to be laughing anymore. In fact his face had taken on a look of pure rage. He appeared to be chewing the inside of his mouth noisily.

Elliot stood fluidly. "Well, well. All these years," he turned in the direction of the Joker who was staring at Elliot as though he were a bug that needed to be exterminated, his head slightly tilted. "All these years...and you, _you_ were all she _talked_ about."

Elliot made his voice higher and shrill, like a little child. "When I find Jack everything will be alright. ...when I find Jack we're going to go to the circus, we're going to build a house together. Jack's my best friend...we're going to get _married _one day!"

Selina closed her eyes. She could feel Holly staring at her in pure horror. Eventually she opened them and met his black painted ones. The humiliation was unbearable.

Elliot was finding the whole thing hilarious. "God...for years it was_ Jack_ this and_ Jack_ that. It drove me insane. We went to hundreds of Police stations, tons of kid's homes. I had to pretend for years that I cared. You were all she thought about. Do you know how long it took for me to beat you out of her?"

Selina inhaled sharply. She remembered how long it had taken her to forget.

"Do you know how long it took for her to forget you? Eventually she stopped talking about you and I began to think that it was just a kid thing. Like you were her imaginary friend."

Finally the Joker lifted his head, his gaze unnaturally dark. "Well you can see I'm not. I'm as real as can be."

"You're him...and you're the Joker. Huh!" Elliot grinned, throwing his gaze over his shoulder at Selina. "You know how to pick them babe."

Selina approached and Elliot dived for the gun that had been laying only inches from her. She cursed herself mentally. "I've had enough of this Elliot. If you want to kill me then do it!"

He raised his eyebrows at her. "You're giving up so easily? That's not the Selina I remember."

While he chided her, nobody had noticed Holly crawling across the floor towards the door. Glass cracked under her weight and Elliot seized a fistful of her hair. Selina cried out as Holly yelped as her former lover dragged her across the floor. He hauled her unceremoniously to her feet, where he threw her towards the Joker, who merely watched as she tumbled like a heap by his shoes.

Selina wondered at what was going through his deranged mind. She wondered if Elliot's outburst had touched him at all.

Holly cast a glance up at the bemused clown and then at Selina. Selina held out her hand to her.

"I'm not going to let him hurt you," Selina promised, turning to Elliot. "Please just get this over with Elliot. Don't hurt her."

Elliot stared at her cruelly, running a tongue along his dry lips. "So...it turns out you do have a heart after all. You finally let someone in."

"She's my best friend," Selina told him, passion in her quavering voice.

Elliot raised his eyebrows. "And he...is your old friend. Your _precious_ Jack. Tell me if you had to make a choice now that one would live and one would die, who would it be?"

"What?" Selina blinked rapidly. "No. No Elliot I'm not playing that game."

"But its fun and you love games Selina! Come on its not that hard. Just pick one!"

Holly stood on trembling legs, her shoulder bumping the Joker's accidently. He stared at her with dead eyes and she visibly paled. Elliot grinned, aiming the gun at the pair of them, back and forth. Selina felt a rush of terror and emotion in her throat and she gasped, her eyes filling up.

There was so much pain, every part of her hurt and she couldn't think clearly.

"Elliot don't do this!" she begged. "I'll _come _with you to Falcone now."

Elliot's blue eyes suddenly widened and he wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. Selina must have knocked a tooth loose in their fight earlier.

"I can tell her that you are dead, that I killed you. I'll do that if you can choose Selina." He was offering her a deal and Selina wondered at how many times he'd tricked her with that tactic over the years.

"Why?" she yelled, crying hard. "I can't take this anymore. I don't want you in my life Elliot. You'd let me go and then in a few years when you got bored you'd find me and do this all over again! I won't keep rebuilding my life. And I _won't _choose!"

This admission only seemed to make him more furious and the gun shook in his hands. Holly was sobbing next to the Joker, who appeared to be watching the whole scene through hooded, narrowed eyes. His former jubilation was gone and he looked angry and sullen, his lips pursed and shoulders pulled almost up to his ears. Selina silently begged for him to intervene, but he didn't meet her eyes.

"We all make choices Selina," Elliot cleared his throat. "And sometimes they hurt us. Like the night you left me. The night you _stole_ from me. Every choice we make leads us down another road and we have to live with the consequences. Believe it or not.... all this is _your_ doing."

Sobbing Selina shook her head, her hair damp with sweat and blood. She momentarily looked down at her outfit that she had worn to Bruce's house. It was torn and covered in matted dried blood. She was suddenly so sick of being injured and bloody that it fired a new anger inside her.

She lifted her head. "You're right Elliot. We do have to live with the choices we make and I don't regret _leaving_ you for a second. And if you think I'm going to beg for your forgiveness then you're more insane than I ever thought. You can make the choice for me. And believe me if you kill one of them, you'll regret your choice for the rest of your life. Which won't be that much longer."

She inhaled as he hissed at her through his teeth like a wounded animal. With shaking hands he lifted the gun and pointed it at Holly and Selina swayed dizzily on her feet. Tears leaked out of her eyes and she couldn't move. Holly stared at her across the room.

"It's alright Selina," she whispered and Selina covered her mouth with her hands. Elliot aimed the gun straight at the dark haired girl's head and Holly shook and closed her eyes. The Joker stood slightly away from her, staring down as though he were watching this all on film. A confused, dazed expression passed across his face but it only lasted a moment.

"You know..." Elliot looked back at Selina over his shoulder. "This kinda reminds me of something...oh yeah, the night that Suzie got taken. Too bad you'll have to carry this girl's death as well, huh Selina?"

Then something happened. Selina heard the gun go off, the noise shattering the silence around them like breaking glass. Holly screamed but was sent flying to the ground, the Joker's massive form landing squarely on top of her. The bullet ripped through the fabric of his coat, catching him in the right bicep, sending a smattering of blood all over the white polished floor. He grunted in pain and rolled off Holly, who was trying to scramble to her feet.

Elliot's face contorted in anger and confusion. He howled in defeat, swinging towards Selina, the gun still ready to fire. Selina was ready for him this time. Trying to ignore what was going on in the corner, she dived for Elliot, sending him sprawling back across the desk. She kicked the gun free and as he crawled to his knees, she aimed and fired at his knee cap. He screamed and ran for the door, half dragging his injured leg behind him. Selina shot again, but missed and hit the glass door, sending splinters flying everywhere.

Elliot flung her a look as he crawled through the now empty frame, which was now letting in the cool night breeze. His blue eyes were like fire as he stared at her. She knew that look and knew it wouldn't be the last time she would see him. She let her hand drop to her side, the gun bumping her thigh. She stared down at the weapon in her hand and let it fall to the floor.

"_Selina!"_ Holly's voice was urgent and Selina whirled on her heels. She rushed to the corner by the stairs, where the Joker had sagged against the wall for support. He was breathing hard, clutching at his injured arm. Holly had managed to force his coat off his shoulders and had wrapped something around his arm that was temporarily stopping the flow of blood. Selina realised dimly that Holly had used her wrap from earlier. Shaking Holly, tried to pull him to his feet, but he was stubbornly staying put.

"We need to get you upstairs," Selina knelt in front of him. Sweat dripped down his face, making the black paint run into his eyes. He blinked and Selina realised that it must be stinging. He roughly pulled away when she tried to take his other arm.

"Get the _hell _off!" he snarled and Selina shook her head.

"No way. The cops will be here any time now. Someone would have heard that shot. Unless you want to be back in Arkham by morning I'd suggest you get up the stairs!"

The two women stared at one another over the top of his head for a moment. Both of them were thinking the same thing. Maybe he should be back in Arkham? Wasn't that the sensible thing to do? Selina argued with herself mentally. He'd saved Holly's life. He'd taken a bullet meant for her.

"I see what you're thinking, match girl," his cracked voice startled her. "I can take care of myself."

He tried to stand, using his free hand to push him to his feet. Swaying slightly, he leant on the wall, his breathing erratic and gasping. Then it turned into a low, maddening giggle. Selina rolled her eyes and pulled him in the direction of the stairs.

"Grab his coat!" Selina called to Holly. It took an extraordinary amount of strength and patience to urge the clown up the stairs. He kept losing his balance and when they reached the top step, she squeezed past him in the narrow corridor to unlock the door to her apartment. She tripped on the step and he caught her around the waist with his free arm. Pressed closely against him in the dark, she looked down at him. The smile on his face cracked his dry makeup. He winked suggestively.

"Now it's your turn to play nurse," he laughed and then began to cough loudly. Selina wriggled out of his grasp.

"Aren't you the lucky one!" she joked her face grim as she pulled him inside her home. Switching on all the lights, she turned; the sight of him standing in the middle of her clean, pristine home bleeding on her floor was a sharp assault to the senses. He always managed to look so out of place, like he didn't belong. Holly was coming through the door with his large overcoat, panting slightly.

"The cops going to be here soon!" she warned. "We better go down." Holly eyed the Joker warily who was busy letting his eyes roam curiously over Selina's neat, very feminine home.

"Is he going to be alright?" she asked and Selina shrugged. She was completely exhausted and still reeling from shock. Shock from seeing Elliot again and the shock of what had just occurred.

"We'll take care of him after the cops have gone," she said. "How bad is my face?"

Holly took a step closer. She grimaced.

"Wash off some of the blood. The bruising isn't showing just yet. What are we going to say?"

Selina stamped past the Joker, into her kitchen where she grabbed a wash cloth from a draw and ran it under a tap. She gave it to Holly who began to scrub off dried blood from around Selina's chin and where it had dribbled down her neck.

"This is crazy!" Holly wailed. "How the hell are we going to get away with this?"

When Selina was cleaner, she grabbed the wash cloth and wiped her bloody hands.

"When I came home from my date with Bruce Wayne, there was an intruder. He hit me and I tried to fight him back. Then you came down the stairs and he shot at you. We managed to get the gun off him somehow and I shot him in the leg. Then he ran." Selina fired the lie out so fast that it impressed even herself. She lifted her hand to the swelling on her forehead and Holly gripped her arm. Their eyes met briefly and then turned to the noise of a chair scraping across the floor.

The Joker had collapsed into one of the iron kitchen chairs, his breathing deep and erratic. Sweat patches darkened the fabric under his arms and down his back. The wrap Selina had used this evening was completely ruined, soaked through with his blood. Suddenly flashing blue and red lights appeared in the window, quickly followed by a wail of sirens. Holly's sharp intake of breath was followed by the Joker coughing. Selina quickly knelt infront of him, resting her hand on his knee.

"Do _not _leave Ok?" she looked him in the eye. "Just stay up here and stay _quiet _and we'll come back."

He grinned down at her, revealing his even yellowed teeth. "I don't need your help, match girl."

Selina pressed her lips together and stood fluidly. "Well you know where the fire escape is."

Turning away from him, she caught Holly's arm and the two ashen women trotted hurriedly back down the narrow passageway. They made it back into the gallery just as two uniformed officers stepped warily through the broken glass door.

Selina rushed for one of them. He was quite tall and fairly young. He lifted off his hat as he saw her bedraggled appearance and wrecked clothes. On que, Selina managed to burst into tears.

"Ma'm," he began taking her by the arms. "We had a report of a disturbance. Can you tell us what happened?"

Selina babbled out her lie, managing to sound as pathetic and convincing as she intended. They spent the next hour being questioned by the officer, while the other looked around the gallery. The younger officer was called Trent and the older, heavier man with red hair and a ruddy complexion was called Newman.

"Did you know the man who attacked you?" the first, younger officer asked as he propelled Selina to sit in the chair by the desk. Selina shook her head and sniffed.

"Could you identify him again if you saw him?" he asked and both women agreed that they could. Though Selina highly doubted that they would be picking up Elliot anytime soon. His best trick was disappearance. When they lived together in London, he often left for days without warning, leaving Selina to roam the empty, dark streets in the early hours of the morning.

The slightly older officer finally joined them at the desk. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a glossy, but slightly bent photograph of the Joker's mug shot. Selina nearly laughed. He even managed to look amused while having a police photograph taken. Like he was enjoying a private joke.

"M'am there was a report earlier tonight of this man being spotted driving through this neighbourhood. We've found an abandoned van parked not too far from here. We know this man is on the run and he could have easily have passed through here. Could this be the man who attacked you?"

Selina swallowed. "Uh...no. I've never seen that man before."

Officer Newman showed the photo to Holly. She shivered and rubbed her arms but agreed with Selina.

"Me either," she whispered. Both officers looked disappointedly at one another. Trent turned back to Selina.

"Try and think Miss Kyle. It's pretty dark in here and he may not have been wearing the face makeup?"

Selina shook her head vehemently. "No I'd recognise a man like him believe me!"

Newman slipped the photo away into his pocket and Selina exhaled softly. Her eyes momentarily lifted upwards and she wondered if Jack had made his exit. She doubted he'd get very far in the state he was in.

"We'll call this in and you two should really get some rest. Can you lock this inner door to your apartment?" Trent was asking Holly and she nodded. "Then we'll send someone over tomorrow to take a closer look, see if anything's missing. Hopefully your insurance will cover most of the damage!"

Selina wrapped her arms around her middle, willing them to leave. They stood and Trent helped Selina to her feet.

"Are you sure we can't take you to the hospital Miss Kyle?" he asked again and Selina held up her hands, shaking her head.

"It's fine really. I'll go to the doctors in the morning if I need to," she promised, managing a convincing smile. Kicking the broken glass out of their path, both officers left the gallery and Selina and Holly both let out a collective sigh of relief.

Both women were up the stairs in moments, Holly taking care to lock the inner door behind them. Selina dashed into the kitchen and found the chair empty. Holly gasped and pointed to a trail of blood that dripped a gory path from the kitchen to Selina's bedroom. They banged open the bedroom door.

He hadn't gotten very far. In his attempt to leave he'd passed out from blood loss but had successfully landed face down on Selina's clean white sheets. Inside she groaned, her eyes roaming over her ruined bed linen, smeared with blood and black and red paint.

Selina sighed. "Let's turn him over."

Not easily done, they both discovered moments later. After what felt like an eternity both women managed to turn his limp, but heavy form over so that they could get to his wound.

"Maybe its better he's asleep," Selina muttered as she unbuttoned his tie, pulling it free of his neck. Her fingers trembled as she began to fiddle with the top button of his shirt, her head turned in Holly's direction.

"Get my kit out of the bathroom Hols," she urged. "And some hot water."

While Holly was gone, Selina began to unbutton his shirt, revealing his pale freckly skin beneath. She eased the shirt over his shoulders, exposing enough of him that she could at least see what she was doing. She pulled the shirt free, leaving him in his slightly damp white vest. She took his upper arm in both hands and pulled it away from his body slightly. Her fingers shaking, she probed the raw wound, still weeping blood. That was when his eyes opened.

With what little strength he had, he seized her wrists and hauled her across him so that she was partially on top of him.

"Jack its ok!" she squeaked, his fingers digging dangerously hard into the flesh of her throat. "I'm going to help you!"

His eyes seemed to darken and he loosened his grip. His arms sagged back to the bed but Selina hovered there a moment longer, staring down at him. Emotion flooded her throat and she suddenly wanted to just stay there and cry. She wanted him to hold her.

Sniffing she pulled away. "I'm going to fish the bullet out ok?" she told him and his laugh came then, a distinct muffled noise.

"Be gentle," he smiled turning his head to the side and to her horror, she realised he was going to watch. Holly appeared beside her, placing the medical kit on the bed. Selina took out a sterile pair of pliers. She looked up at Holly.

"Maybe you should hold his shoulders?" Selina suggested biting her lip, but her patient gave an abrupt cackle.

"You think I can't hold still while you pull a bullet out of me? Just get on with it, match girl!" he sounded insulted that she had implied he couldn't handle the pain.

It took a few goes, but finally Selina got a hold of the tiny metal pellet that was causing all the blood loss. She dropped it into a cup and it made a clanging noise as it fell. Holly pressed a hot towel to the raw, gaping wound, soaking up the fresh flow of blood. On the bed, he lay quiet and still, his teeth grinding together the only sound he made.

"Are you going to let him stay here?" Holly asked as Selina took a breather, wiping the sweat off the back of her neck. Selina sighed and prepared to stitch him up.

"What else can we do?" Selina nudged her friend aside. As she stitched him, he began to laugh, making the needle jiggle and bob in her fingers. She threw him an exasperated stare.

"_Hold still!_" she yelled and he raised his eyebrows at her mockingly.

"Whatever you say Nurse!" he laughed. A few moments later the gaping wound was sewn up cleanly, leaving the flesh of his bicep a jagged, bloody mess. Selina dabbed it clean with the hot towel, her knees weak from kneeling. At her side Holly let out a sigh and climbed to her feet. She stared down at her strange hero, a man who she didn't know and knew she should fear, but who had pushed her clear of a bullet.

"Selina. I have to go," Holly said at last and Selina stood up next to her. Leaving the Joker who was watching them under a hooded gaze, they walked to the kitchen, where Selina leaned against the counter, resting on her elbow.

"I understand," Selina replied at last, shaking her head. "It's been a surreal night!"

Holly's lips curled into a smile. "I want to ask how it went with Bruce but now is really not the time for a girly chat. I'll call the insurance company first thing and get that door mended."

Selina pulled her friend into a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry Holly for everything. You were so brave."

Holly hugged her back. "I've got to go."

Selina felt Holly pull away and her heart ached. Holly looked as though she'd aged ten years. The younger woman was grey under the eyes as she grabbed her car keys from the bowl on the kitchen table. Without saying goodbye, Holly hurried out of the door and Selina actually thought she might start crying again. Her face felt so numb and she didn't think it was possible to shed any more tears. Holly was in shock. She had seen the true nature of her beautiful friend this evening. She had seen what Selina was capable of. Yet she knew that Holly was strong and that in the morning she would be downstairs, pouring coffee and making phone calls.

Standing alone in her kitchen she faced the prospect of having to go back into the bedroom. Swallowing she went to the sink and poured herself a glass of water. Then she took another glass from the draining board and filled it up to the brim. On weak legs she went to the bedroom door. To her dismay he was sitting upright, leaning back against her pillows, flicking through a book that she had on her nightstand.

Her face flaming she stormed into the room and shoved the glass of water under his nose, prising the book out of his fingers. He pouted up at her but took her water and downed it greedily, the liquid seeping down his chin and onto his vest.

"Got anything stronger?" he joked as she sat down next to him, the mattress sinking slightly under her weight.

They sat beside one another in silence for the longest time, until Selina turned her head to look at his profile. She sighed.

"Why did you come here Jack?" she asked and his face turned to hers. She was close enough to see that the paint had melted around his eyes. His mouth was nothing but a cherry stain, streaking up having dried on his lacerations.

"Aren't you glad I did?" he teased and she pulled a face.

"I don't understand anything," Selina shook her head. "Why did you save her?"

He didn't seem to have an answer. He was the Joker. Only a short time ago he'd blown Rachel Dawes to kingdom come. He'd destroyed Harvey Dent, a good, strong man. He was a killer and having him here, so near was like adopting a wild animal and trying to tame it. She could never trust him.

"I wasn't trying to save her," he said at last and that sent Selina's eyebrows skyward. "I was trying to save _you_."

"What do you mean?" she turned her body to face his. He stared down at his bare hands. He'd chewed his own nails right down to their beds, to the point where they looked inflamed and sore. It made her heart hurt for some reason.

"I've seen you now match girl," he mused, his lip curling. "The _real _you. You have fight in you. But you're not a killer."

Selina narrowed her eyes at him in the darkness. She was growing surprisingly comfortable, leaning back against her headboard with her knees pulled up to her chest. She realised how exhausted she was.

"You don't know what I've done," she whispered and for some reason he laughed at that. His eyes creased at the corners as he turned her face to hers.

"_You _are no killer. It's not in your eyes. Taking a life makes you older. Its takes a piece of you each time, until there is nothing left in your eyes but the damage you've done. You remember each one, whether you've enjoyed it or not."

Listening to him speak so coldly and matter of fact about making a kill was like listening to him give a lecture. He was an expert after all. It left her feeling chilled and uneasy. She pulled her knees up to her chest for warmth.

"And you enjoy it?" she asked, suddenly a little sickened.

"Sometimes I do...sometimes I don't," he said seriously. "Killing that girl...the nurse from Arkham. No.._no_ that wasn't good for me. But it had to happen. She was there."

Selina turned her head away, the memory of the young girl on the river bank coming back. She'd held that girl's trembling body and watched her die. It lightened her heart a fraction to know that he did feel something for what he'd done.

"So..." he drawled casually. "Did you have a date in mind for the wedding?"

Selina's head snapped in his direction. "Huh?"

"You know...the wedding. _You and me_. The one you've been planning since you were little?" he broke into a fit of giggles, his eyes watering at the corners from where it hurt him to laugh. "Mind you I don't know how your ex would feel about that...or your millionaire?"

Selina was glad it was dark so that she could conceal her red face. Elliot's little tirade came back to haunt her, his words cruel and humiliating. But while Jack found it all rousingly funny, Selina found it heart wrenching. It was a part of her childhood that she had forgotten.

She had become so docile to Elliot's will as a child that she had forgotten the endless months of pining for her lost friend. She had forgotten her daydreams. Now it was all startlingly clear.

"I missed you," she whispered in the darkness. She looked at him but his eyes were closed and she suspected that he wouldn't react even if he had heard her.

With his words still echoing in her ears, she turned her head against the pillow and found herself drifting into a restless sleep. It seemed absurd, sleeping with him next to her, but the pull of exhaustion was so strong and her body so battered that she could no longer ignore it.

When she opened her eyes minutes later, the clock by her bed read four in the morning and her legs were bare and she was shivering. She turned to the space next to her and found it empty, just rumpled, bloody bed clothes. The window to the fire escape was wide open. On her feet in seconds she leaned out of the window, just in time to see the back of his coat disappearing down the metal stairs.

She threw her legs over the window ledge and crawled through. "Wait!" she called.

Selina shivered in the morning breeze and he turned and stared up at her, an odd, almost sad smile on his ragged, cracked face. He gave a mock salute and then pointed to his stained white vest.

"That's another shirt you owe me!" he called. Her face broke into a smile. She watched as his form disappear down the dimly lit alley way, wondering how far he'd get without his vehicle. Slipping back inside she crawled back to the warmth of her bed, rolling onto the side he'd occupied, amazed that it still smelled faintly of him and was still warm. She pulled the covers around her, her face suddenly wet again, wishing that she had at least said thank you.

**Let me know what you think! Thanks as always! Next chapter more Bruce and Selina.**


	28. Children of the Narrows

**Hi everyone. Firstly I just want to say a huge, huge thank you to all of those who have given me such an amazing amount of support over these last chapters. Even if I get told about errors or if its praise I'm truly grateful that you have given this story your time. And I hope you know that I'm not just saying that. I'm also so sorry that I haven't responded personally to all the reviews. I have given special mentions below this chapter and if your name isn't there then please consider yourself included. I know you have all been really patient and I'm so sorry that this has taken so long. I have been sent away an awful lot for work, working long hours and it's really taken its toll. And of course you know that I don't want to write something quickly and its rubbish. So my apologies. Hopefully work will calm down and I can release more.**

**Ok enjoy and love you guys**! **Let me know what you think.**

Children of the Narrows

The silence of the cave was almost engulfing. Sometimes when he sat down here it seemed as though time itself had frozen. And like the craggy rocks that surrounded him, he sat as rigid as stone. Lacing his fingers together, Bruce Wayne pressed them to his mouth, letting out a deep breath. It was cold down here, his breath fogged before his eyes.

Above he heard the rattling of the cage travelling downwards and raising his eyebrows, he glanced at his clock that was flashing on a screen above his computer in vivid green. Footsteps were making their way carefully towards him and he heard the older man clear his throat behind him.

"Its early Alfred," Bruce swung in his chair and nodded to the clock that read ten minutes past seven in the morning. "I take it the papers came?"

The older man shivered against the steely cold of the cave, a long forgotten dwelling that lay deep within the foundations of the old Wayne Manor. He placed this morning's 'Gotham Tribune' in Bruce's outstretched hand. He noticed that his young master hadn't bothered to change after his night's exploits. Bruce's hair was damp and stuck to his neck with sweat. He was still dressed in the Kevlar suit, but without the intimidating mask.

Bruce's eyes narrowed as he stared down at the paper. He pressed his lips together and let out a huff through his nose. In bold black print, the morning headline was screaming up at him. All it read was 'Joker Sighting' but it was enough to make Bruce's nerves raw.

"It's the story on the radio that worried me sir," Alfred tilted his head, when his master said nothing. "It seems that your Miss Kyle's Art Gallery was robbed last night."

Bruce crunched the paper up in his fist. He swallowed and stared up at the older man. Bruce had heard the robbery called in over the police radio the previous night. The thought that he had missed it, that he had driven away from her had almost choked him.

"I heard," he said at last, his voice distant. "Something isn't right Alfred. It says that witnesses saw a man fitting the Joker's description in the same area that the robbery occurred. The GCPD found a van parked nearby that they think belonged to him. Then at almost five in the morning a woman was woken up by the sound of her car alarm going off. She said that she saw the man who took her car and identified him as the Joker."

In the quietness of the cave, Alfred swallowed. "So you went to look I take it?"

Bruce lifted his shoulders in a sigh. "He was gone. I drove by and saw Selina's broken door. I can't believe that I drove away and left her. She must have walked right into it."

Alfred's eyes widened. "But she's alright, sir?"

Bruce gripped the arms of the chair with his gloved fingers. "I'm going over there as soon as it's a reasonable hour. Something just doesn't feel right about this. Is it a coincidence that he just happened to be in the area?"

He rubbed his eyes, barely noticing that his old butler suddenly appeared much greyer than normal. But then all Bruce had thought about in the last twenty four hours was Selina Kyle.

"Sir," Alfred edged closer and took a seat before the vast computer desk. Since the rebuild Bruce had added a few extra technical gadgets. From this secluded position, he was pretty much wired in to Gotham City. Bruce had access to police reports as well as their communication system. He was also able to get hold of any intelligence and footage that he required.

"What is it?" Bruce looked up at him, drumming his fingers lightly on the arm of the chair. "You look guilty about something."

Alfred leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He had wanted to spare his master this. He had hoped that it wouldn't have had to come out this way. Bruce had seemed a different man since losing Rachel and having Selina around, even for one night had temporarily lifted the perpetual gloom that held his eyes. Now Alfred feared he was going to take him right back down to what he had been before, an emotionless vigilante.

"You've met Miss Kyle before," Alfred began tentatively and watched as Bruce raised his eyebrows in surprise. To the older man's dismay, Bruce's face broke into a grin.

"I don't think so. I think I would remember a woman like her."

"Would you though?" Alfred shook his head, wearily. "When I think back to those dark months after you first lost your parents, I don't think you can remember much very clearly. You never met her as she is now. You met her as a child."

Bruce's brow knitted together and he looked away. "When?"

"Your mother was a patron to a children's home in the narrows. A few months after she died the whole place burned to the ground, rather mysteriously I might add. The children were housed here very temporarily and your Miss Kyle was one of them."

Bruce lifted his eyes to the older ones that were watching intently for his reaction. He cleared his throat, bringing his fist to his lips. Memory was desperately trying to grapple its hold on him. He remembered pieces, jagged shards of his past. There was so much he'd lost after the death of his parents and so much he'd chosen to forget. He remembered their funeral at the cathedral in the city and then the car journey to bring them home to be buried within the grounds.

"The funeral...she was there," Bruce's eyes widened, the vision of a little blonde girl appearing before him. "I gave her that rose!"

He leaned forward suddenly as Alfred nodded his encouragement. Bruce was on his feet. He began to pace back and forth, his cape still swinging around his ankles.

He stopped. "She was _here_."

The older man sighed. "That is correct, sir."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Bruce suddenly turned on the older man, his face taught with confusion.

"I wasn't sure. At least I wasn't until you brought her here. I suspected something when I met her at your fundraiser. What are you thinking Sir?"

Bruce had halted his relentless pacing and stood still, his eyes transfixed on the darkness that swelled up around him. He remembered something else. He brought his fingers to his lip. A vision of a young girl in scruffy clothes sitting at his mother's dressing table, playing with her things appeared before him. He had confronted the girl and then out of a nowhere a boy had appeared to defend her. A boy with an odd face. Bruce flinched at the memory. The boy had hit him and he'd ended up on the floor with a bleeding nose.

Bruce collapsed in the chair. "He was here," he breathed.

Alfred frowned. "Who was here? Master Bruce?"

"The Joker...he was in this house!"

Alfred's face whitened and his back tensed. "When?"

Bruce shook his head. "Years ago. He was here, _with _Selina."

Bruce swung his chair around to his console and his fingers began to move furiously across the keyboard. Over his shoulder, the butler peered through his old eyes. Bruce seemed to be looking through old archives but his speed was too quick for him to pick anything up.

"This is a passenger manifesto," Bruce explained for the older man's benefit. "It lists all the names of the people that were on the ferry the night the Joker was captured. Selina told me outside the courthouse that her brother was on that ferry and that was the reason that she was there."

"There's a lot of names there sir," Alfred chewed his lower lip.

"But none of them are a Kyle," Bruce flicked through the list. "Unless she changed her name?"

Alfred folded his arms against the cold that had suddenly sunk further into his old bones.

"You think she's working with him?" he prompted after a long period of silence while Bruce just stared at the screen. Alfred could see the hope in his eyes. Bruce was willing the name 'Kyle' to appear on the list. Finally he swung away from the screen, the hope in his eyes slightly deflated.

"I don't know...she can't be. Can she?"

Alfred shook his head. "I don't think that's the answer to this puzzle sir. The Joker is a one man band. He works alone. Think clearly sir...how can you be _sure _he was here?"

Bruce allowed himself to smile, but it was more of a grimace. It was a smile to his own stupidity. At his own blindness.

"I remember _that _face," he said at last. "I remember covering for him. Their nurse came looking for them and I covered for them both. Then..."

"He was taken away," Alfred finished the story, quickly catching up. "I remember the police coming and taking a boy away and I remember it nearly broke that little girl's heart. She cried for days and then, she ran away. Her and another little girl. We thought that they must have left on a delivery van."

Bruce shook his damp head. "Is this even possible? That the man who killed Rachel...my enemy...was here the whole time? That I knew him before."

"Stranger things have happened Sir," the old butler mused. "But one thing I'm sure of is that she isn't working with him. I just _don't _believe it."

"She's lied to me," Bruce breathed. "I asked her about her life and she's lied to my face. Without any hesitation. In the courthouse...she wasn't there for Rachel or her brother...she was there to see him!"

"Maybe her reasons are different than the conclusions you're jumping to Master Bruce? Maybe she is the one who can help you understand this enigma of a man?" Alfred said gently. "She could help you."

"They're connected," Bruce shook his head. "They grew up together. She knows him better than anybody. All this time the police have wasted researching this man and have come up with nothing. She could tell us who he really is."

Bruce sat back in his chair. He knew what it meant to grow up with someone and share a childhood bond. He knew what it meant to be so close to another person that you could tell what they were thinking by their facial expressions or a flick of their eyes. And he knew what it was to lose that first real love, that lifelong friend. The wound Rachel's death had left was still a gaping hole in his chest. The Joker had seen to that.

"I like Selina, Alfred," he admitted. "I really like her. Is it wrong to feel like that...so soon?"

He suddenly felt like a teenager telling his father about having a crush on the most popular girl in school. A blush crossed his cheekbones and Alfred laughed fondly, reaching for his knee and patting it lightly.

"With all due respect Master Wayne," he began gently. "Rachel was never really yours, not for a long time anyway. Whatever hope you had went away the day you became the Bat. You had different ideas on the way to heal this city. You may have been playmates but you grew into very different adults and more often than not we cling onto those memories. And that could very well be the same with your Selina and the Joker?"

Bruce exhaled and looked at the clock above the console. It was nearly eight in the morning. He rose out of his seat and flexed his shoulders.

"You think it's too early to go?" he asked Alfred who looked up at him fondly. He shook his head.

"I'd have a shower though first," he warned seriously, his face breaking into a mocking smile. Bruce's features cracked into a grin before heading off to the cage. Behind him Alfred followed, his step a little lighter than it had been before.

They both climbed into the creaky elevator and waited as it travelled upwards, through the catacombs below the vast manor above them. In the half light of the cave, Alfred stared at his master's stony profile intently.

"Tread carefully Sir," he warned suddenly and Bruce turned to look at him. "Something tells me she'll give you what you want. I think she could bring you the Joker or at least help you understand him. But you mustn't push her."

Bruce barely heard his warning over his heartbeat thundering in his ears. He dashed out of the elevator and up the stone stairway in the hallway as soon as it was stationed. After a quick shave and a brisk shower he was hurrying into his clothes. Speeding away from Wayne Manor and leaving a trail of dust in his wake, his thoughts were preoccupied.

He thought of the Joker and wondered at his connection with Selina. He wondered if Selina would be willing to give him up so easily. But Bruce's thoughts didn't dwell on that for long. His mind strayed to the moment in his car when she'd kissed him back and how for the first time in years, he remembered what it was like to be young. He had liked the feeling and recognised the beginning of an addiction beginning to form.

/

When Selina stepped into the wreck that was once her thriving business that morning, she bit on her lip, desperate not to cry. She was exhausted and drained. She didn't know how not to cry anymore. Holly poked her head around the store room door, her face also pale and grey.

"Morning," she uttered before signalling that she was on the phone. Selina nodded folding her arms and closing the door behind her. A cold blast of air caught her by surprise, making her shiver inwardly. Closing her eyes she saw Elliot dragging his injured leg behind him as he disappeared through that door the previous night.

Selina jumped, forced out of her daydream as her shoe crunched across broken glass. She looked down as Holly came jogging across the floor. She flipped the cell phone shut and tossed it on the desk that Selina was leaning against. Holly looked up into the face of her friend and quickly averted her eyes. But Selina had been quick enough to read her expression.

"How bad is it?" Selina wailed, her fingers gently lifting to touch the swollen skin beneath her eye. She had a graze on her forehead, a swollen jaw, a bruised collar bone and a black eye. And that was only from last night. She was still suffering from the injuries inflicted upon her, courtesy of Benito and Rene Falcone.

Holly stood with her hands on her hips. "Its...well you look a bit beaten but don't worry. You're still hot!"

Selina tried to smile but it made her cheek pinch. "How are you?"

Holly's face fell slightly after her joke. Her grey circles and pale face said it all but Selina wanted her to talk to her. Years of pushing away friendship and now she craved it more than ever. Holly held up her hands, her eyes watery.

"I'm busy. This is good, because that means I don't have to think too much about how I nearly died last night! The insurance company is arranging for someone to come and fix the door. And I've called up all your customers to explain why they're orders are going to be delayed."

Selina raised her eyebrows. It wasn't even eight thirty in the morning. She reached out to fold Holly in a hug but to her dismay the smaller, dark haired girl side stepped her.

"I'm sorry Selina," she explained. "I just...I don't know what to think."

Her heart sinking, Selina sagged back on the desk top, her bottom lip aching from where she'd chewed it so hard. Holly gave her a sad smile and patted her shoulder.

"At least your here, I guess," Selina said out loud. "This means you haven't abandoned me."

Holly narrowed her eyes at the thought. "I would never do that!"

Selina almost laughed. "I wouldn't have blamed you if you had fled and never come back. You saw some things last night and it must be...well... confusing."

Holly folded her arms and let out a puff of air. "Well there _are _a few things you never mentioned. Like the fact that the Joker somehow happens to be a childhood friend of yours? Oh and the fact that he pushed me out of the way and took a bullet for me. Still reeling a bit from that one..."

Selina rolled her eyes. "You're not alone there. I can explain most of it though...if you want to hear it?"

Holly took her friend's hand, which was cold to the touch. Selina had come downstairs in a thin long sleeve shirt and pressed grey trousers. She was shivering and her lips looked blue. Holly shrugged out of her light pink cardigan and wrapped it around her friend's shoulders, pushing Selina's blonde pony tail out of the way.

"I do want to hear it. But not today. Today is work and I have a lot to do!"

Selina folded her arms, grateful for the sudden warmth of the cardigan. "What will I do?"

Holly turned away, gathering some stray papers that were in a messy pile on the top of the desk. She neatly stacked them into the draw below.

"Well you can help here?" she said just as the sound of a very large engine came roaring down the road. Both women stopped and watched as the silver Porsche pulled up at the kerb outside the gallery. The door flew open and Bruce Wayne climbed out of the driver's side. Holly's eyebrows shot up and Selina groaned inwardly.

"Or not," Holly finished her sentence and Selina choked back a giggle despite of herself. Bruce hurried towards the gallery, his eyes widening in horror as he looked at the missing glass door. He was wearing a neat, pressed blue shirt and tailored pants. His hair was still slightly damp and a red streak crossed the top of his nose and cheeks.

Selina pushed herself off the desk, her legs a little numb as he stepped carefully towards her over the broken glass. His eyes went to the purple bruise under her left eye. When he was close enough, he reached and linked his fingers around her slim neck, the pad of his thumb tracing across the mark, so vivid against her pale skin.

His brow drew together. "I shouldn't have left you."

Her breath caught in her throat and she touched his hand. "I'm fine. No broken bones."

"But your face...did he do...anything...," he appeared to be struggling with words and Selina shook her head, saving him the embarrassment.

"No. Bruce really, I'm Ok." She swept her hand across the mess and disarray that once was her sophisticated business. "Just some serious damage that's all."

He caught himself staring and pulled his hand away, shoving them safely in his pockets. Whenever he was around her he had an incredible urge to be touching her in some way. He looked around the disarray that was formerly a neat, very polished art gallery. There was still glass everywhere and in the corner, propped up against the wall was a wrecked canvas print, a large boot print straight through the centre of it. His eyes roamed back and forth and that was when he saw the blood splattered across the white tiled floor. There was a bloody handprint on the door to the stairway behind her.

"I shot the intruder," Selina hadn't meant it to come out so coldly. "I got him in the leg and he ran away before the police got here."

Bruce looked at her and realised how practised it was. Lying came as second nature to her and he felt an odd pinch in his chest. He had no idea as to why she was lying, but he knew it was true. When she turned her green eyes up to him however, he sank a little, his heart speeding up as she wandered closer, her arms tightly folded.

"Thanks for coming over Bruce," she said, her eyes a little watery. "I guess we'll have to arrange for our lunch another time?"

Just then he smiled abruptly, his eyes creasing at the corners. "Well I noticed a park across the street. Why don't we have a walk? It might do you good to get out of here for a while?"

Selina's heart lifted a little at his suggestion. She peered down the gallery for Holly who had suddenly made herself scarce, but she could still hear her tidying in the storeroom.

"That Ok?" she called and Holly poked her head around the door.

"Fine!" she chirped and Selina hid a smile. Outside it was sunny and fresh, a mild day for Gotham despite of the rain they'd been having. Still a little chilly, she rubbed her arms as she walked shoulder to shoulder with Bruce. He darted a look in her direction and she avoided his gaze.

She felt strange and awkward, like a teenager on a date. It didn't matter that they'd shared a kiss the previous evening. It felt like a million years ago. Her thoughts were preoccupied and lost. She had thought of Bruce, but she had been plagued with dreams of Jack. He was out there somewhere and she was worried. But she had to ask herself why the hell was she worried about him?

Silently, they walked to the park, entering through the large iron gates. They passed a coffee vendor but Selina shook her head when he offered to buy her one.

"Are you alright? Did I do something wrong?" he asked, urging her to sit beside her on a bench near the fountain. It was where she had sat with Jonah only a short while back. Selina sat down next to him and he folded his arm around her. She didn't pull away, liking the fact that he was warm and solid and strong.

"Of course you didn't. Why would you think that?" she laughed, staring at his profile.

"I was a bit forward last night. I can be like that sometimes. It's the curse of having people around you all day that do anything you ask when you tell them to."

Selina chuckled at that. She snuggled closer and breathed in the firey smell of his aftershave. His fingers strolled casually up to the back of her neck and began twirling through her ponytail. She began to relax against him. He was winding his fingers through her hair as though he'd done that every day of his life. She was suddenly struck by a memory. That was something that Jack had always done. Even in childhood, he'd had a thing about playing with her hair. She stiffened, her lips parted but when Bruce looked down she said nothing.

"It must have been awful," he sympathised and she exhaled softly. "Did you get a good look at him?"

Her head was swimming and she couldn't see straight through her lies. "It was dark. I think I could pick him out if I had to."

"Did he take anything?" Bruce probed and Selina began to fidget, suddenly uncomfortable.

"We haven't really checked...maybe. Bruce..." she sat up straight and he stared at her through hooded eyes. "I don't really want to talk about it now. I'm sorry."

"Do you want me to leave you alone?" he asked and she bit her lip hard. He read her expression.

She saw the disappointed expression cross through his eyes and she felt her heart wrench. She didn't want to be alone. She wanted nothing more than to be with him. Selina felt an odd pull in her chest every time she looked at him and she wanted nothing more than this wonderful, safe feeling to continue. But her head felt like cotton wool. She couldn't think clearly.

He bit his lip. "I did do something wrong."

She shook her head and realised that wasn't going to convince him. He closed his eyes as she kissed him, winding her fingers around his shirt collar and tugging him closer. He responded quickly, feverishly, his arm straying down her back resting on her hip bone. When she finally pulled away, she kissed his face, letting her head rest against his shoulder.

"I'm just tired," she whispered. "It really isn't you."

Bruce conceded and let his hand slip back to his side. "I'll walk you back."

It seemed absurd that they had only been in the park for moments and now they were leaving. As Selina stood he caught her hand and pulled her back against him. His arms wound around her small waist and he kissed her greedily, making her feet tingle and her knees weaken. When she was holding onto his shirt for support, he let her go and she realised that he'd lifted her almost out of her shoes.

"Come home with me," he asked, his eyes dark as he stared down at her. A flush crept up her neck from nowhere and she smiled, reaching to push the hair out of his eyes.

"It's very tempting," she answered and saw that look of disappointment once again appear in his eyes. "But I can't leave Holly to clear up the mess. I _will _take a rain check however."

He pouted, his eyes serious. "Maybe I won't ask again. Maybe it's a onetime offer?"

He was clearly teasing and Selina folded her arms, letting out a real sincere laugh. She shook her head and tugged his shirt playfully.

"Sorry...I forgot that Bruce Wayne is used to getting his way!" she joked and his features softened into a wide smile. "I'm sure you can amuse yourself with one of your hired girls?"

He laughed at that, revealing his even, white teeth. Selina's heart did a little back flip. It seemed that the more time she spent with him, the more she liked him. She let him pull her into his side, his arm firmly tucked around her waist as he walked her back to the gallery. In the foyer, Holly was sweeping up broken glass, her face half hidden by her mane of hair as she worked. Bruce hugged Selina tightly and told her to be careful before he kissed her forehead and ducked back into his own car.

The two women didn't speak very much for the remainder of the afternoon. It wasn't because there was an atmosphere. It was just that both were so preoccupied, their thoughts turbulent and erratic. Both seemed happy to work in relative silence. Selina thought about Bruce and how she had lied to him, her stomach lurching with guilt.

When the sun had moved behind a heavy veil of cloud and it began to get dark, Holly called it a night. Selina watched her leave, feeling so alone and exhausted at the same time. Would they ever have the same relationship again? Selina hoped that Holly would give her the chance to explain. Locking the inner door behind her, Selina's stride was purposeful as she would her way up the narrow set of stairs. Once she locked her apartment door behind her she hurried into the bedroom.

She gathered up all the stained, bloody bed linen and bundled them into her arms before dumping them in the drum of the washer. Closing her eyes, she shut out the images of the previous night. In the pile of laundry she spied a faint green shirt with an octagonal print. She pulled it out of the drum quickly, gathering it up in her trembling hands. It was musky and stained with blood. Selina sighed, realising she was now building up quite a collection of Jack's clothing.

She discarded it, leaving it strewn across the kitchen table before she wandered into her messy bedroom, kicking off her heels as she went. Taking a deep breath, she flung open the wardrobe door and reached in, pulling out one of her brand new suits that had been specially made. She held it to her chest, not really sure of what she was going to do. Silently, she slipped out of her day clothes. She pulled her blonde hair up into a tight knot at the back of her head. Wriggling into the tight suit, she zipped it up to her neck and then pulled the mask over her face.

Kneeling beside her bed she pulled out her weapon chest, clipping a couple of fighting daggers onto her belt. Peering out of the window, she decided that it now looked dark enough for travel, especially if she kept to the roof tops. The heels of her boots clicked on the metal fire escape as she wound out of the window, heading up instead of down into the alley below. The breeze was cool on her skin, making her shiver slightly as she darted nimbly up the rickety stair well, breathing hard as she pulled herself over the edge of the roof. It took her a long time to reach the narrows. Gotham was quiet tonight and she realised how much she loved to look at it from above. Up here it was silent and you couldn't hear the ugliness going on below. Tracking across the rooftops, she spied the magnificent Wayne Towers, twinkling at her in the distance. Her thoughts immediately turned to Bruce and she swallowed. She didn't want to think about him right now.

Finally she dropped into an alley way, the smell of stale alcohol filling her nose and she wrinkled it in distaste. Keeping her back to the wall she edged past a narrow doorway and from inside she could hear the dull throb of music. Narrowing her eyes, she was struck with a memory, especially at seeing the overflowing dumpster right near the door. This was where she had hidden with Suzie all those years ago. Sadness overwhelmed her and she struggled to breath. Holding onto the wall, she closed her eyes.

Just get a grip, it was years ago. She told herself sternly. Pushing away from the wall, Selina began to run, her feet light as she moved. It was as if her body knew instinctively where she was, her muscles reacting to her surroundings. She seemed to just know exactly where to turn and what side streets to take. All of a sudden the side street turned onto a main road and Selina held her breath as she rounded the corner.

She stood before the ruins of Humberside Children's home. Her calves slightly aching from the journey, she shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, her hands hanging limply at her sides as she stared up at the charred remains of the place she had once called home. It was amazing that almost twenty years had passed and Gotham City Council had chosen to ignore the derelict building. Rather than tearing it down and demolishing the wreckage, the council had put up wire fencing around the perimeter with a big faded sign nailed loosely to it. The sign read 'Danger! Building in Progress' in bold but worn red print. Selina wondered at how long that sign had hung there. It was now slightly graphitised with crude pictures and curse words.

Selina shook her shoulders, tensing slightly at a noise from behind her, further down the street. She darted a look over her shoulder and saw a raggedy homeless man in an overcoat stumbling towards her. Selina slipped into the darkness, able to squeeze her small frame through the gap in the wire fencing. Dropping to her knees, she held her breath as the drunk passed her by, not seeing her there in the shadows. Continuing on, she got up and walked through the fallen crumbled debris, kicking clumps of concrete out of her path.

When she had returned to Gotham, it was on one of her trips through the narrows that she came upon Humberside. The sight of the old building, still part standing, alone and empty had ripped through her soul. She thought she had forgotten her childhood there. But it was surprising at how the memories had returned. She remembered the smell of crayons and the dusty piles of books in the day room. She remembered at how the walls of the hallway were littered with their haphazard artwork, used to cover the cracks and peeling paint. She remembered Mrs. Wayne, reading to them on the dried grass of the lawn and Jonah yelling at them to get into their beds.

It was upon seeing her old home that she had found the perfect hiding spot. On that first night, with the stars shining down on her like watchful eyes, Selina had explored the old ruin, amazed at how much of the building was still intact, especially the kitchen area. It was there that she had found the remains of an old trap door. It had been padlocked, but the lock was long ago broken off, probably by someone looking for a dry place to sleep. Selina had wrenched the door back and found a set of metal stairs that lead down under the ground. During the childhood, she remembered Jonah's trips to the basement, but they had never been permitted to go down there. She had long forgotten that it even existed until that night.

Selina had realised then that she had to find somewhere to hide all the money that she had stolen from the Falcone's. If she kept it in the apartment then it would be very hard to cover it up if someone broke in, like Elliot had managed to. For now she needed somewhere forgotten and lost and the damp, dusty underbelly of her old home seemed the perfect place. Not even the most corrupt of Gotham's Police force ventured this far into the narrows anymore, especially since all those patients escaped from Arkham two years back. Not even the Bat could hunt down every low life that had forced their way out of that place. They curled into the dark, like Selina, an expert at disappearing. This place bred crime and people like her and the Joker. They were children of the narrows and knew how to survive; it was the first thing that you learnt.

Making sure that she was alone, Selina kicked away the compacted dirt that she had used to conceal the entrance of the door. Digging her gloved fingers through the soil she sought out the metal ring, gritting her teeth as she curled her hand around it, heaving the door open, leaving a trail of dirt to fly into the air. She darted inside, her heels clanging on the narrow metal steps. Carefully she travelled further in, pulling the door shut over her head. Inside the basement, the air was thick with dust, clogging up her nostrils. Selina unclipped her flashlight, letting the fine beam of light flick around the dark, musty space.

There were old barrels piled high in the far left corner. And in the right were a heap of dampened cardboard boxes, full of old blankets and bed linen, rat infested and eaten. On her first visit, Selina had inspected the place and found nothing of worth. To the right of the boxes was an ancient oven, probably put down here for storage after the building was renovated back in the thirties, long before it had ever been taken over by Rene Falcone. Kneeling before the oven, Selina reached and pulled down the handle.

The smell of old, stale oil made her gag but it was quickly gone and she breathed a sigh of relief at the sight that lay before her. She quickly counted up the small white money sacks, estimating that she had over six million dollars stashed down here. Selina sank back on her haunches and hung her head. She really didn't know why she had been so desperate to get here tonight.

She fell to her bottom, staring dismally at the fortune that sat before her. She felt depression and sadness creeping into her bones like a cold winter. What had it all been for? She thought that she had all the ideas, that she had everything worked out. But now she questioned why she had ever come home at all. The costume she wore clung to her like a skin and she had that awful, deep feeling that this was just part of her now. Like Batman, like the Joker, this was the other half of her soul. The Cat was who she was and she was wearing Selina like a disguise.

Selina realised that she had lost sight of what she truly wanted and right now, she suspected that what or rather who she wanted was in Wayne Manor, about to go out on a date with another woman. Sighing, she covered her eyes with her hands, forcing down the knot that was building in her throat. Then there was Jack. Exhaling softly, Selina thought that things never turn out the way you expected them to. She had told Alfred Pennyworth that she was looking for something, that she was lost and had come home to Gotham to find something. Maybe Jack was part of the reason that she had come home? On some level, maybe she had never really stopped looking for him? And now she had found him again, perhaps it was meant to be. Almost chuckling at herself, Selina knew she couldn't sit here all night, analysing her life and her choices.

Climbing to her feet, suddenly weary she headed for the metal steps, happy and content that for now her fortune hadn't been ransacked by squatters, not that she really cared anymore if it all suddenly went up in smoke. It had never been about the money.

Skipping up the steps, Selina used her shoulder to push against the door. Huffing loudly it clanged as it crashed open on the other side and she winced as the sound broke through the silence of the streets beyond. Poking her head out of the trap, she peered through the dark and then used her forearms to push herself out. She quickly replaced the door, kicking the dirt over it.

She jogged through the debris, winding her body through the hole in the metal fence. When she was back in the alley, she looked back at the old building, her heart swelling in her chest. An idea popped into the head but left as quickly as it came as Selina jogged through the alley, keen to get back to the gallery. She suddenly wanted to be on her sofa, chatting with Holly and she hoped her best friend would come if she called.

Then something happened. Selina heard the air slice in two as if something had been shot in her direction. She didn't look down at her ankle until she felt a tugging sensation. Wide eyed she stared at the hook that had looped around her boot but by then it was too late. Air whooshed past her as she was unceremoniously yanked backwards until she was flat on her back. Smacking her head on the concrete, she groaned, blinking upwards, where she could see a large figure moving around in the metal stairwells of the apartments above.

Realisation dawned and she opened her mouth to curse, but without warning, the hook on her boot tightened and she was flying upwards, through the alley and through hung out bed linen and damp clothing. Rain began to trickle from the night sky as she whirred up, her arms scrambling around frantically. She saw lights from the apartments and the soft hue from television sets as she whizzed by, her lungs straining in her chest, blood pumping in her head.

An arm encased in black Kevlar reached out and grabbed her ankle. Selina gasped as the Bat unhooked her boot and she cried out as she slipped out of his grasp. He caught her under the arms, the pain from her side slicing through her, hot as fire as he turned her to face him. Selina was directly level with his black eyes. He appeared to have no problem holding her there suspended in the air with her legs dangling.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" she yelled, helpless as he pulled her closer. To her surprise, he actually grinned, revealing white, even teeth. The rain began to come down in sheets, running down both their faces, making their black clothing glint in the low light around them.

"Gotcha," he said.

/

Rene Falcone was nearing sixty years old and she knew that her prognosis wasn't good. She hated that she had gotten so old and so quickly. And now it seemed that she was going to end her days looking like a corpse, when this was supposed to be her time to shine. She was the head of the Falcone family, indeed the last one left. What had it all been for if she was going to die so soon?

Rene hadn't left Gotham General. They had pumped the rotten, foul water of the east river out of her body, but the affect of near drowning had worn out her lungs. And upon investigation, the doctor had revealed that they had found a 'shadow'. In short Rene was dying, but thanks to the Cat and the Joker, it was much faster than she had hoped for.

The sound that came from her mouth was a low, rumbling wheeze, as though she were pulling air from her very soul. Lying quiet and still in the starchy, sterile bed, surrounded by cards and flowers, Rene wondered at if she actually deserved this. During her employ with Carmine, she had heard many of her victims plead for 'God' to help them. He hadn't given a shit then. And they nearly always ended up in pieces, bagged up and then burned. Rene wondered if she would suffer the same fate.

What was most irritating was that the weasel that she had hired to take care of the Cat had completely vanished off the radar, so she couldn't even be sure that the money that belonged to her family would ever be found.

Pain swelled up in her chest and she struggled to breath. Dimly she recalled that the nurse was supposed to be here now with her pain medication. Her eyes watering, she pressed her panic button firmly. Rene didn't like the idea of dying in here. She hoped that Anthony would come soon and take her home; at least she could finish off her time in her own bed, without being watched by ghouls all day. Her door swung open and relief flooded her as a male orderly dressed in clean blue scrubs, came in wheeling a large metal cart.

Rene narrowed her grey eyebrows at him. He had his back to her and was whistling a tune, rather out of time but she vaguely recalled the old war time song.

"Where's the nurse?" she barked. "I was supposed to get my pain meds two hours ago."

The orderly turned to face her as he wheeled the cart up to her bedside. His ratty blonde hair was tied back in a pony tail at the nape of his neck. There was something strange about his face, she noticed almost instantly. His eyes were heavily shadowed and red rimmed and if she wasn't mistaken, it almost looked as though he had recently been wearing black eye makeup. Rene snorted and wondered if he were some cross dresser. But it wasn't just that. Either side of his mouth, were deep, jagged lacerations, slightly waxy and pale, skin pink.

For some reason, as he came a little closer, giving her a sly wink, her stomach jerked, her legs weakening.

He leaned near to her, carelessly scraping a chair across the floor, his eyes dark and intent as he sat down upon it, leaning his elbows against his knees. She saw a bloodied bandage around his upper arm and all at once her breathing became shallower.

"I need the nurse," she whispered. He ran a tongue along a set of very yellowed teeth and she recoiled. He flexed his brows upwards, his eyes far off to the distance as he took her plastic cup from her bedside cabinet, rolling it around in his large hands.

"Ah...nurse is unavailable right now. It's just you and me...but don't worry. You're in excellent hands."

His voice was oddly familiar and although Rene suspected that this was the Joker, there was something more unsettling, more disturbing pressing on her. She remembered a boy long ago who she had cared for at the children's home. One day that boy had confronted her and nearly terrified her to death.

"Who...who are you?" she swallowed, despite the pain in her throat. He grinned, revealing those teeth again, his eyes darting from side to side.

"Perhaps you recognise my face?" suddenly he lunged forward, so close that Rene had nowhere to go but further back into her pillow. His fingers dug painfully into her thin upper arms.

"Stop...stop it!" she choked. "My men..."

"Are having their dinner break right now...it seems that you're all alone Miss Falcone. Now it's been so long...you _really _don't recognise my face? You ought to...you did a piss poor job of stitching me up once."

Reality hit her and she stared up at him with wide, blank eyes. "You...you're him?"

He rolled his eyes. "Hmm. Bet you can't even remember my _name c_an you? All those kids I don't suppose I blame you. But I kind of thought I would have _stood _out from the crowd?"

He seemed to be angry that she hadn't spoken his name. His body was tight with tension, his teeth grinding nosily inches from her face. A sweat breaking on her forehead she gasped and answered him.

"Jack. I remember you Jack."

He genuinely smiled, his scars reaching up to his cheekbones, like his face was cracking in half.

"There you go...I knew you couldn't have forgotten me. We go way back don't we? Perhaps you remember a little conversation we had...or a little disagreement we had one time?"

Rene stared wildly up at him. Her heart was hammering in her chest like a frightened, dying bird. Where was Anthony? Where was her protection? She realised he was referring to the memory that had come to her only moments ago.

"I don't understand...you said...it was so long ago."

The Joker shook his head mockingly, wagging a finger in her face. "Oh but Miss Falcone...a promise is a _promise_. And I always keep my word...well sometimes. But anyhow...here I am!"

Tears escaped under her black lashes. She felt utterly weak and feeble. She couldn't have fought him back even if she had wanted to. Her body was ruined and failing her. She watched with wide eyes as he reached behind him, taking a metal tray from the cart that he had wheeled in earlier. He clattered the tray on the cabinet, pushing her cards wishing her well aside. The tray was full of metal instruments, sharp and sterile. Her stomach lurched and she gripped his forearm.

"Please, _why _are you doing this?" she gasped and he yanked his arm away from under her.

"What's up doll?" he giggled. "Don't like what you see? I thought in your line of work you'd be used to it."

"But what has this got to do with what happened years ago?" her mind was racing. The Joker was gazing intently down at the tray, picking up each instrument and inspecting it closely, bringing it up to his eyes and then replacing it.

"Do you remember what I said to you that day?" he asked quietly and Rene spluttered.

"Yes...but..."

"What did I say?"

"I don't understand. What has this got to do with...Selina Kyle?"

"What did I say?" he asked again, a little less patient this time.

"She went missing years ago. We never found her...I don't understand..."

"_What did I say?" _The noise that came from him was more of a roar, more of a bellow than a question and the sound travelled through her bones, shaking the fragments of her soul. Too terrified to utter another sound, Rene choked as he withdrew, leaning back against the chair, his eyes nearly completely black.

"Well seeing as you've conveniently forgotten, let me remind you. I said that if you hurt Selina, that.. I _would cut your face in half_...like your brother did to me. Does that...uh...jog your memory?"

Weakly, Rene nodded, a sob escaping her thin, pale lips. Everything was suddenly, startlingly clear and she realised what a fool she had been. In the warehouse, that very night that Benito had died she had asked the 'Cat' if they had ever met before. And of course they had. The woman she had tortured had been the child that she had once cared for. Michael Kyle's only daughter. The family accountant's little girl. She had promised him that Selina would be given the small fortune when she turned eighteen years old, but of course Rene had ploughed it straight into the family business.

Only Jonah had known of her crime against Selina. No wonder the little bitch had targeted every bank they had money stashed in. It was almost laughable. Rene had come full circle. She was brought out of her daze by the light glinting off the sharp metal scalpel that was dancing before her eyes. Dimly she realised it was bloodied; she could see the scarlet dripping down the handle and onto the man's gloved hand. He had taken the time to put his gloves on.

She gasped and looked down at her arm. He had cut her, the flesh of her forearm sliced open. In her daze she hadn't even felt anything. Maybe she really was so ice cold that she had become like stone? She hoped so. The sting began and she winced and once again, panic began to rise.

"Why are you doing this?" she whispered as he wiped the blood off on his clean uniform. "Why now?"

"Because you sent someone for her," he answered simply, never taking his gaze off the knife, mesmerised as the blood dribbled down the blade. "And you're a Falcone...you _won't_ stop. You'll send another until you kill her. And I just can't _allow _that."

He dipped the knife again and she held her breath as he traced it along her thigh, the pain of her flesh slicing open too much to take. Going dizzy, she fell back, breathing deeply and she knew she would die soon.

"Selina and me...we'll we were children of the narrows. You..you and _your _family created what we became. And the thing about kids that come from the narrows...is they look out for each other. So you could say that this is kind of your fault."

He chuckled at that, suddenly leaning across the bed, his face so near that she almost couldn't breathe. Rene closed her eyes and told herself she wouldn't scream for him. She wouldn't give him that. However, she was lying to herself.

He lowered his voice to a whisper and she knew it would be the last thing she would ever hear.

"Now," he chuckled, tucking the scalpel inside the corner of her mouth so that all she could taste was blood and metal. "Let's put a smile on that face."

**Special Mentions**

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	29. Damaged Soul

**Well hello my lovely reviewers! Words cannot describe how thrilled I am that you loved the last chapter so much. I've had some time to write some more and I'm really hoping you'll enjoy this next chapter; it took some doing I'll tell you. It's a bit of a battle as well! **

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Damaged Soul

With her legs swinging perilously beneath her, Selina gripped the strong forearms that held her securely in place, with no sign of letting her squirm away. She gritted her teeth against the pain in her ribs, finding her eyes drawn to his mouth, which had melted from a grin into a thin, tight line.

She wriggled and he narrowed his eyes at her. Above the rain was coming down in torrents, almost making her lose her breath. She was soaked to the skin and shivering as was he, but he wasn't being dangled mid air over an alley way from a set of metal stairs.

"I _swear _you better let me go!" she hissed through clenched teeth. She huffed and tried to wriggle but he held her like she weighed nothing. If his arms ached he didn't show it.

"Or what?" he said, his voice more of a rumble. "Gordon has been looking for you for a long time. He'll sleep better tonight knowing one of Gotham's most wanted is finally behind bars."

Selina narrowed her eyes. "Well good for him!" she spat angrily. "Damn it...let _me _go!"

His eyes widened, which was difficult to make out in the dark, but she could the whites of his eyes more clearly.

"You've embarrassed Gordon long enough. Its time you were locked up and paid for what you've done and what you've taken."

Selina wanted to hit him and hard. He was so unrelenting, so completely like stone. A large stone wall that couldn't be taken down. She glanced down at her boots dangling limply under her. It must be a twenty foot drop into the alley below and falling that far, she could end up breaking something or killing herself. And then he'd just catch her again. Mentally she cursed herself for being so off her game. If she hadn't been so preoccupied with her own dramas, she may have stood a chance.

She lifted her chin. "Gordon manages to embarrass himself well enough without my help. May I remind you that the Joker is still at large and that was on Gordon's watch? And as for my 'victims'...well they had it coming."

The Bat growled, his white teeth clenching before her face. Rather than frighten her, all it served to do was make her more fascinated. She felt the strength in his forearms beneath her hands, it was strangely exhilarating to know that he could crush her like a tin can if he chose to, and yet he hadn't. Selina guessed he must be exerting some serious self control. She smiled knowing that she had made him angry.

"People like you make me sick," he seethed and she threw him her best, most dazzling smile.

"So you're on the side of mob gangs like the Falcones now?" she jibed. "It wasn't _their _money that I took or are you going to conveniently forget that?"

He shook her hard, enough to wipe the smile off her face. But oddly, Selina felt his grip loosening. Hope rising in her chest, she assessed how far she would have to fall if he dropped her. Biting her lip, she waited for her chance.

"You think you're above the law because you steal from _criminals_?" he bellowed. Water from above gushed down his mask and over his chin. "Nobody is above the law!"

"Well that includes _you _doesn't it?" she shot back at him, suddenly irritated beyond belief. "Or have you forgotten that you are a wanted vigilante? Last time I checked you were on the top of Gordon's most wanted list! How the hell do you think you're any _better _than me?"

Selina almost saw his resolve weaken and took her chance. Using her stomach muscles she whipped her legs up to her chest, kicking out her heels and landing them squarely in his ribcage. A moment of indecision was all she needed. He growled in pain and surprise, staggering backwards and she back flipped and fell straight for the wet pavement below. Her legs hurt from kicking him so hard and she braced herself for the landing, knowing that it was going to be much worse.

But suddenly her rear end jerked back up in the air, feeling tightness around her waist and she knew he had somehow hooked her again. Her eyes widened in shock as he dropped passed her, his cape extending so that he could glide to the ground. She watched in dismay as he landed and rolled, instantly back up on his feet. Then he looked up at her, victory plastered all over his face as he yanked the other end of the wire cord that was holding her suspended.

Selina yelped as she tumbled free and literally fell into his outstretched arms. Embarrassment washing over her, she kicked and fought, managing to untangle herself from his grip. Now she faced him in the wet, dark alley and they circled one another like prowling sharks.

She wanted to fly for him but she knew that he would overpower her. She was still weak and in pain from her fight with Elliot. Her hand dipped to her belt and she pulled out one of her fighting stars. Before he could react she flung it smoothly in his direction. He deflected the blow but in doing so the sharp steel edge sliced through the flesh of his forearm. Selina saw his tanned skin beneath the suit, the gash she had caused but ignored that she had hurt him. He growled angrily.

"That wasn't nice," hissing out the words, his black gaze shifted from his wound to her face, half hidden in the darkness. Selina arched her back and pulled out a fighting dagger.

"There's plenty more where that came from," she promised. He inched closer and she edged backwards, slightly cornered. There was something that she had noticed though, his obvious size was one of his greatest assets, but it was also a weakness. She was much spryer than he was and she had a feeling that she could possibly out run him.

"I'm going to enjoy dropping you off in jail," he said and she laughed.

"You're going to enjoy my foot in your _throat._ I seem to recall that worked a treat last time we met!"

He dived, letting a roar rip from his throat and she ducked sideways landing on her wound from Rene. Stars exploded in her vision and she momentarily went numb, unable to move her legs. She saw him regain his balance and make another leap in her direction. To her horror he caught her boot in his hand as she tried to scramble to her feet. Giving it a good yank, she toppled forward bumping her chin on the concrete below. She twisted her body so that she was facing up, but he dragged her underneath him, partially pinning her to the ground with his free arm.

His weight on her hips was almost crushing and she stared dismally up at him. He was breathing hard and fast, obviously exhausted. He brought his free hand to her throat, feeling along the seam of her mask and to her horror she realised that he planned on ripping it off.

"Don't you _dare!_" she shrilled and he panted lightly above her.

"I'm curious," he explained, pain and exhaustion obvious in his ragged voice. "But you'd know all about curiosity wouldn't you?"

Struggling to breathe, Selina's mind was whirring. If he unmasked her then it was truly over for her. She'd end up in jail for the world to see. No, no that was not going to happen to her tonight. Like a rat in a trap, she did the only thing she could possibly think of to do. Before he had time to react, she arched her torso off the ground, her lips finding his mouth. She felt his surprise and his shock. His mouth was warm but she ignored it, instead she found his bottom lip and then bit down hard. He yelped against her mouth and tried to pull back but Selina dug in for all she was worth.

When his coppery blood filled her mouth she released him, nearly gagging from the taste she spat it out on the ground. Above her he loomed down, blood dripping down his chin. She saw the pure outrage in his eyes and saw him ball up his fist. In that moment she was struck frozen. She was suddenly a child again on her ninth birthday and she was being held down in an alley way, by the boy from the fair.

Revulsion snaked through her and she came out of her daze too late. His fist was flying for her and the sound it made when it connected with the centre of her face, left her ears ringing. Knuckles pounding into flesh sent white hot pain searing through her. Blood spurted from her nose and she rolled sideways, sobbing, her eyes watering like a stream.

The Bat scrambled to his feet but then fell to his knees again. He stared at the woman that he had just hit in the face and wanted to die from shame. He crawled towards her and shook her shoulder. Selina moved her head and through glazed eyes saw him leaning across her.

"I'm sorry..." he was saying over and over. To her anguish, his mouth was still pouring blood and his voice was not of the Bat anymore. The growl had dropped and it was that of a normal man. She recognised it. "Let me get you up."

She held out her hand and motioned for him not to touch her. She squinted up at his face, breathing hard and fast, blood still dripping down her nose and onto her chest.

"I didn't mean...I lost my temper...God..." he was exhausted and knelt beside her weakly. Numbly Selina sat up, her legs either side of him, propping herself up on her elbows.

"I'm alright," she said although she didn't feel that way. Shock and turmoil was passing through her. She reached for his shoulder and he pulled her into a sitting position. He watched as she reached for the seam of her mask, his eyes glazed as she pulled it free of her face, letting her blonde hair tumble wildly down her back.

Selina watched his reaction. He recoiled, scrambling backwards, his breathing erratic. It was a moment or two before he gained his composure, reaching for his own face and tugging the heavy rubber casing away. Underneath the mask, Bruce's face was dirty and sweaty, his hair stuck up in tufts on his head. It made Selina's heart wrench, making her want him more. She reached out her arms and began to cry, salty tears mingling with the blood that was beginning to dry on her face.

He took her legs in his hands and pulled her towards him so that she could fold herself around his waist. He stroked her wet hair and Selina felt him shivering.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you," she sobbed into the crook of his neck. "I can't believe what I did!"

He took her face in his hands, looking closely at her bloodied nose. His face crumbled.

"I hit you. I've never hit a woman in my life...I would never have...Selina I'm so sorry."

He held her to him and she kissed his face, her mouth tenderly tracing over his cheekbones and then found his mouth. The kiss was desperate and needy, both too lost and too sorry to care that they both had hurt each other. Selina tasted the blood on his lips and recoiled in agony at what she had done to him. She gazed at him and ran her finger along his bottom lip.

"Does that hurt?" she whispered. He tried to grin but the cut in his lip split further.

"Like hell," he nodded. Rain splattered down his face and she leaned her forehead against his.

"I won't kiss you again," she promised and he chuckled.

"I can take it, don't you worry," he tilted her chin up with his hand and kissed her again. "Selina...we really need to talk."

She laughed and licked dried blood off her lips. "That's the understatement of the year. You're Batman!"

He rolled his eyes. "Maybe we should go somewhere...less wet?"

Selina nodded and with her legs still encircling his waist, he lifted her to her feet, letting her slide her boots to the floor. Silently she followed slightly behind as he headed back out of the alley. Her mind still spinning from the reveal, she didn't notice as he propelled her down another street where there appeared to be an enormous tank parked. It looked like something from the cold war era, an experimental vehicle that was also used as a weapon. Selina was sure that she had seen it before from clips on GCN.

Bruce took something from his belt and aimed it at the tank and almost instantly the vehicle sprang to life. The armoured top section pulled back to reveal a seating area. Panic suddenly exploded in her chest. What if he was just going to take her straight to Gordon?

"Selina, get in," he seemed to read her face. "I think we have more to deal with tonight than a trip to jail?"

Folding her arms defensively, Selina scrambled easily over the top of the tank, plopping inside onto a leather chair. When he was in beside her, she looked at him and he pressed some of the buttons on the vast console before him. With a cranking noise the roof began to close and Selina felt that sense of panic again. Like it or not she had just willingly got into Batman's car.

His lips pressed firmly together Bruce stared at her profile. He exhaled and Selina wondered to what he was heading for.

"Are you working with the Joker?" he asked so suddenly that Selina turned to him wild eyed.

"Am I _what_?" she repeated, her face flaming.

"Working with the Joker?" he said once more, less patient this time. "I have to know if it's true Selina. I know you are connected to him. And please don't lie to me; there's been enough of that already."

Selina shook her head at him, suddenly annoyed that he was taking the moral high ground.

"Well we are both guilty of that," she answered dully, folding her arms across her chest. "And to answer your question, no, I'm _not _working with him."

He sighed loudly, clearly relieved. But he narrowed his eyes once more. "But you are connected with him?"

Selina rolled her eyes. "It depends on what you mean by connected."

Bruce scowled. "Don't play games Selina. I only want the truth from you."

"It sounds to me like you know most of it already," Selina was being wilful and stubborn and she knew it. She didn't like being cornered, especially by a man who had so many secrets of his own. To her it seemed hypocritical.

Finally she sighed, letting her arms unfold. She turned her head in his direction and felt a smile sneaking up on her. The whole situation seemed so completely absurd that she wanted to laugh. Maybe she was more like the Joker than she realised. In the dim light of the cab, she reached out and touched Bruce's gloved hand on the steering wheel. To her relief he squeezed her hand back.

"I'm not working with him. I swear to you," she locked with his gaze and hoped he believed her. "But yes...I did know him. It was a long time ago when we were kids. He came into my life for a short time and managed to completely turn it upside down. He was my friend."

She saw Bruce's brows knit together in confusion. The mere thought of the Joker having a friend was a bit surreal. Like most people, Bruce couldn't see past the makeup on the man's face.

"Its true," Selina said when he didn't answer. "We were separated after the fire that took down Humberside. We were brought to Wayne Manor."

Bruce hid a smile. "Yeah. I remember that part. I got punched in the nose. Why didn't you tell me that was you?"

Selina laughed at the memory. "Are you kidding? You're Bruce Wayne. Women throw themselves at you on a daily basis. You would have thought...well I don't know what you would have thought. Probably you would have jumped to the same conclusions that you have come to now. Besides I was digging around in your Mom's stuff! It's a little humiliating."

Despite the gash in his lip, Bruce managed a smile. "I remember."

Selina covered her face with her hands. Heaven only knew what he thought of her right now. She wished she could guess what he was thinking. When she darted a look at him, she found he was staring at her intently.

"Was this all part of a game Selina?" his eyes were bruised and heavy and Selina felt her heart beat faster when he reached across for her hand. "Was it all part of a game to snare me and get to my money? I have to ask you...I'm so confused."

Selina inhaled sharply, knowing that she couldn't lie to him. "In the beginning, yes," she answered simply. "I came back to Gotham with a plan. I wanted to meet you again. I wanted you to fall in love with me and whisk me off to your mansion...but then things got so messed up."

"And now?" he probed and she was glad of the darkness of the cab so that he couldn't see her face flushing red.

"Now things are different," she shrugged her shoulders. "I'm different. The plan changed."

"When did it change?" he insisted and she shifted uncomfortably. She wasn't one for discussing her emotions. She felt gushy and embarrassed. Her cheeks growing pink, she stared at his face in the dark, knowing that he expected more from her. She had to be braver for him and she knew he would always demand the truth from her.

Tear sprung into her eyes and she realised why she always had such trouble talking about her feelings. It left her a teary eyed wreck, emotional and useless. Elliot had drummed that into her a long time ago.

"It changed when I saw you on the courthouse steps. The day you came rushing after me with my lipstick. It changed the moment I met you."

She heard him breathing in the darkness and she wanted so badly to fold herself into his embrace. Instead he turned away and started the engine of the car. The roar it made startled her and she shifted back in her seat.

"Where are we going?" she asked nervously.

He pulled the tank away from the kerb. It began to pick up speed as it wound its way through the narrow streets. Soon they were speeding across the East River Bridge and through the empty Gotham financial district. Tall, steel skyscrapers passed by as they ploughed out through the country side. Selina stared at his intent profile, never taking his gaze off the road for a moment.

"Bruce?" she asked gently and he finally met her gaze.

"We're going somewhere we can talk," he answered. Content with that for now, Selina eased back in the seat, wiping the blood off her top lip with the back of her hand. Suddenly the tank reared to the left, bumping across fields and ditches. Alarmed, Selina sat forward and watched as they began to plough through dense shrub land. It seemed that the ground dipped beneath them and Selina's stomach flipped as they appeared to be travelling deep underground. She could hear the sound of water spraying out either side of the vehicle.

Bruce flung the tank to a halt and Selina bumped her head back against the headrest. Bruce flipped a switch on the console and the lid of the tank began to crank open. Selina was met by the smell of damp, moist air and a rushing sound of water.

"Where are we?" she shivered and Bruce lifted himself out of the tank using his arms.

"Home," he answered her question. Selina watched him get out and followed gingerly, her boots clattering on the sharp rocks below her feet. All at once she was immersed in a puddle up to her knee. She felt ice cold water sink through her suit and she shrieked.

Bruce chuckled and wrenched her free, taking her upper arm in his hand. "Sorry. I was going to say watch your step."

Selina scowled at him, part of her thinking that she deserved it a little.

"Perhaps you could carry Miss Kyle the rest of the way?" came a clipped, accented voice from straight ahead of them. "And then I can get her some dry clothes."

Alfred, Bruce's older Butler was standing with his arms folded on a steel platform. Behind him a great waterfall was gushing over the deadly rocks. Selina looked around, quite at a loss for words. It was actually quite beautiful in a surreal way. Bruce lifted Selina into his arms and she wound her arm around his neck, happy to be carried the rest of the way over the pot holes. When Bruce was on the platform he set her back down and Selina smiled sheepishly up at the old butler.

He was smiling at her, a knowing look in his grey eyes. "You'll have to excuse the Master, Miss Kyle. He isn't used to having guests and I'm afraid he forgets his manners. Can I get you a bathrobe?"

Selina decided at that moment must have been one of the craziest of her life. Here she was, or rather, here they both were, Batman and Catwoman, both clearly having fought with each other quite violently and she was standing in a giant underground cave being offered a bathrobe.

Ten minutes later she was up inside the hallway of Wayne Manor, shivering slightly as Alfred led her through the dimly lit corridors. They stopped outside a bedroom and he pushed the door open gently.

"Everything you need is in there Miss Kyle," he smiled kindly at her. Tears suddenly sprung back into her eyes and as she stepped inside the door, she whirled back and grabbed his arm, his fingers still on the handle.

"How can you be so nice to me?" she said tearfully. "After everything...you know who I am."

He took her cold, gloved hand in his warm one and gave it a gentle squeeze. He was smiling at her as though he were smiling at a child and Selina half wondered if that was what he saw when he looked at her, through his older eyes.

"Miss Kyle I think you have me confused," he said gently. "I'm not a judge. I'm just the butler."

With that he closed the door, leaving Selina standing in the immaculate, newly painted guest bedroom. The walls were covered in a beautifully patterned black and white paper and the bed in the centre of the room was vast, bigger than any Queen size she'd ever slept in at a hotel. Collecting the fluffy bathrobe from the back of the door, she hurried to the vast marbled bathroom. She inched the suit off her bit by bit, not realising that it clung relentlessly to her skin when wet. She peeled it off and shrugged it aside; hating the smell of rubber it left her with. She turned the tap for the shower and immediately a warm jet of water gushed from the large oval shower head. Stepping inside she felt the water rip at her recent injuries and she bit down hard not to cry out. But after a while it felt good to be clean and fresh. She soaped up her hair and let it trail wetly down her back.

When she stepped out, she reached for the towel wrapped it around her middle, so that it fit snugly under her arms. As she combed out her wet hair before the mirror, she didn't hear the door crack open behind her. When she looked up at her reflection, Bruce was standing only inches away from her, dressed in a grey T-shirt and slacks, his hair damp and fresh from the shower.

Selina swallowed, feeling his arms snake around her waist, pulling her back against him. He hadn't looked up at her face yet and to her horror she realised why. He was staring at her scars. She could feel the heat of his eyes as they scanned the surface of her ruined, mangled flesh.

She felt bitterness and anger well up in her throat. Trying to wriggle away he held her fast, letting his hand trail over her shoulder blades. Having him touch her naked skin was horrifying and at the same time a little unnerving. She could feel the warmth of his hands on her, the way his fingers traced her old lacerations. She swallowed down a knot in her throat, her stomach tightening.

"Bruce...please," she whispered.

"When did this happen?" he asked, still refusing to meet her eyes.

"Years ago in a fire. Bruce..._don't!_"

His hand clamped on her shoulders, keeping her still. In the mirror she saw him lower his face to her neck. He kissed her shoulders, letting his mouth trail up the back of her neck, leaving a scorching trail in his wake. Selina struggled to breathe normally, half of her on fire and the other half itching to wriggle away. He continued his kiss his way up to the base of her neck and around her ear, turning her away from the mirror so that she faced him. His mouth sought out hers and she responded weakly, almost feverish, her legs trembling as he wound his hands through her wet hair.

She pulled away out of sheer desperation. She couldn't breathe and she actually thought she might collapse.

"Bruce we have to talk."

He held her shoulders, allowing his thumbs to stroke gently over the marred skin.

"You hide these," he whispered. "But you are perfect. Don't you know that?"

Selina struggled to meet his eyes, shame coursing through them. "I'm not perfect Bruce."

It was then he lifted his eyes to hers and she saw the strength he held in the depths of them. He looked like he was studying her, like something had suddenly dawned on him while searching her eyes.

"I think I get it," he whispered. "The connection you have with _him_."

Selina sighed, sad that the moment had passed and all he was thinking about was the Joker again. Perhaps it was true in that Bruce was as obsessed with the clown as the clown was with him? In a way they were almost made for each other, the perfect opposites.

"It's not just the scarring," she said suddenly, bringing Bruce out of his daze. "There's a lot more to it than that. He was my friend. He looked out for me."

Bruce pulled away and she felt the loss of his body heat. "I find that hard to understand."

"Do you?" she narrowed her eyes. "Do you think he was _always _this way? Everyone has a past Bruce. We grow into the people we become."

Bruce backed away, folding his arms. "Tell me about him. I have to understand."

Selina raised her eyebrows and reached for the bathrobe, careful to keep her back to him as she slipped it over her shoulders.

"There isn't much to tell. I know that they brought him in and he was hurt badly. I was told that he was one of Carmine Falcone's 'boys'. That means as much to me as it probably does to you. But whatever it was, it was awful. They did that to his face. He was that way when I met him."

Bruce nodded thoughtfully. "But you said he looked out for you?"

Selina sighed, half exasperated, knowing that he wasn't going to let it slide. The trouble was that by talking about Jack she risked having to speak of her own past, her own trauma. She marched past him and into the bedroom, wrapping her wet hair in a towel. Bruce followed, his arms tightly folded as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"I was being punished one time and I had to read to him. We became friends. One time...well he kind of saved my life."

Bruce's eyebrows flew upward. "I find that hard to believe!"

Selina laughed. "Well of course you do! You only know him as he is today, not the _kid _I knew. He isn't completely without humanity you know Bruce...I believe he can feel sometimes."

The moment the words were out of her mouth she regretted it bitterly. She saw his face change, his eyes narrow in confusion. Fluidly he stood up, his hands on his hips.

"You've seen him since he escaped from Arkham haven't you?" he stepped towards her eagerly and she inched backwards.

"_Yes_," she cried in admittance. "I have seen him. If you must know it was him that helped me the other night when I had the break in. He ended up getting shot!"

Bruce closed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief, not really able to comprehend what she was saying. Embarrassed streaks crossed her face and she flung the damp towel to the floor. God why couldn't he let this go? Why couldn't he be kissing her again?

"Selina...you said you weren't working with him?" he opened his eyes and he looked annoyed.

"I'm _not_!" she yelled back and he held up his hands for her to calm down.

"Alright but you just said that he helped you?" he almost grinned. "We can't be talking about the _same_ man? The man I'm talking about is a psychotic killer. He doesn't run around helping young women when they just _happen _to get broken into!"

Selina's eyes were flashing with anger. There was so much that he didn't know. There was so much that she just couldn't explain.

"And I'm telling you it is the same man," she gritted her teeth. "He is not completely without humanity. He _was _my best friend!"

Why was she defending him? The thought entered her head like a snap of lightening. Why was she ruining her chances with Bruce by defending Jack?

Bruce stared at her, his mouth pinched and hard.

"Well you know what Selina I have to disagree with you on this one!" he yelled suddenly, throwing his arms in the air in desperation. "Because once I had a _best friend_ who I loved. And she's in the _ground _now because of him!"

Selina covered her face with her hands and began to cry. Bruce closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around her. He was kissing her hair and stroking her back. She didn't know why she was trembling so hard, she clutched his forearms for support.

"I'm so sorry Bruce," she pulled away and looked up at him. "I'm sorry about Rachel. I met her once and she seemed like a nice girl. But I'm telling you that what he did to her...wasn't _personal._ I know that sounds crazy and heartless. But he doesn't think the way we do. He never saw Rachel as someone he'd like to kill for the fun of it. She had a purpose in his plan. She was...just in the way."

Trembling, Bruce let her go and she stepped back. "And you understand that?"

Selina blinked back tears. "It's not the way I think. But yeah I do. Because Bruce I've lived my life by that rule. I had to be that way to survive. And you have no idea what I've gone through. I'm not saying he's right...but yes I can understand him."

His eyebrows lifted momentarily. "You could bring him in."

Selina shivered, wrapping her arms around her body. Oh God, why hadn't she seen that one coming?

"I won't do that Bruce," she whispered. He reached for her shoulders, taking them a little too forcefully.

"Selina you could help him. He needs to be in a place like Arkham. If you say he has humanity then I believe you. You could help reform him. He could lead a normal life!"

Selina wriggled out of his grasp. "What kind of help do you think he'll get in a place like Arkham? The place needs tearing to the ground."

"He can't be left on the street Selina. I don't understand why you won't help me with this."

Selina's eyes welled up. "I won't help you put him back in there. If he needs help then I'll do it my own way...not that he'd ever ask me. _Don't _ask me Bruce!"

Bruce began to pace angrily, raking his hands through his hair. Dismally Selina perched on the edge of the bed. In her heart she had a feeling she knew what was about to come next. She had known it the moment she had pulled off her mask in the alley way. She closed her eyes.

He knelt before her. "And what about you? Am I supposed to just forget that it's _you _that Gordon has been hunting all these weeks? The money that you took..."

Selina lifted her head defensively. "That money did _not _belong to the Falcones!"

"But it's not all _yours_ either!" he cried and Selina bit her lip.

"It was supposed to be mine!" she cried, relief pouring out of her at letting out the truth. "My father worked for the Falcones and he put that money away for me. Except that they made sure I never saw any of it. My father was killed in prison and I was in a fire that killed my Mother. The reason I'm this way...is _because_ of them."

Bruce slid his hands up her thighs and onto her clasped hands on her lap.

"Selina," he said in a quiet voice. "If you really think that the money your Dad put away was all his own...then you're deluded."

Selina met his gaze, an angry scorch across her cheeks. She bit down hard on her lip but he continued on.

"Where do you think it _came _from?" Bruce shook his head. "That money belongs to the citizens of Gotham and you have no more right to it than I have. Were you planning on dishing it back out to the people...like Robin Hood for god sake?"

Startled by his frankness, Selina was lost for words. Her hands were cold in his and she stood up abruptly. Turning away from him she hid her face. Never in a million years had she thought that he would look at her that way. That he would look at her like a criminal. She couldn't stand to face him and see the pity in his eyes. In that moment, whatever it was that they had shared was finished. Selina covered her mouth with her hands, desperate not to break down again.

She had totally blown it. At once she was desperate to get out of this house and out of his sight. Her skin was crawling with shame. Hurriedly she began to search for her suit, still discarded in the bathroom. She slammed the door in his face when he tried to follow her in.

"Selina!" he barked, banging on the door. "Let me in."

Ignoring him she squeezed herself back into her wet suit, the tight fabric pinching her skin as she zipped it in place. She stared at her white, ashen face, rubbing the mascara smudges out from under her eyes.

When she opened the door a few moments later he was leaning against the door frame. His jaw was clenched tightly and she could make out the muscles in his neck straining with tension.

"I want to leave," she hissed. "_Now_!"

Bruce's face crumpled. "Selina please...I didn't mean...can't we work together on this?"

Selina brushed past, her blonde hair flicking his face. "No I really don't think so. I know now what you think of me and I can't stand the sight of myself in your eyes. I'm sorry that I haven't lived up to your perfect expectations Bruce. I'm sorry that you had life so hard that you felt the need to become Batman..."

She was on a tirade and knew that she couldn't stop herself; she was so angry that she shook. Bruce stared at her open mouthed.

"...I'm sorry about that...that you lost your parents. I really liked your Mom by the way. So much so that I wanted to be just like her. But while you were growing up in your palace and getting your college education I was learning about life the hard way. I was being sold around by a man who said he loved me, so that he could have his heroin fix. I was getting beaten _and_ raped on a daily basis. So...yeah maybe I'm more like the Joker than I thought. Maybe I do think like him. I was an idiot to think that this would ever work out."

Bruce took a step closer, his breathing shallow. His face appeared pale and gaunt, exhaustion clear on his strong features.

"Selina I just want to help you," he whispered. He reached for her and she batted his hand away.

"Just get me out of here _please_," she sobbed, tears trickling down her face. "I can't look at you anymore."

Bruce rubbed his eyes. With slumped shoulders he stood aside realising that she was far too angry to let him win this fight. "I'll get you a car you can borrow."

He turned away in time. When he was out of the room, Selina let tears gush from her eyes. She sat on the bed and sobbed. Why couldn't she just do as he wanted? She realised dismally that no matter how much she felt for Bruce she would never give Jack up.

Moments later Bruce returned and in silence he led her back downstairs to the gravelled driveway. There was a neat, compact Mazda sitting in the driveway and Bruce handed her the keys. He was still dressed in his thin T-shirt and looked awful. His eyes were red rimmed and sore, as were Selina's. Miserably he held open the door for her and she slid into the seat, her suit squeaking over the leather.

His fingers gripped the open window as he stared in at her broken face, her bloodied nose and her smudged makeup. His voice shook when he spoke next.

"Selina...please. I think I'm in love with you."

The words broke her heart in two and her stomach clenched. Her voice choking, she gazed up at him through hurt eyes. How could he possibly love her? How could someone so good love someone so rotten inside with a broken up, blackened soul?

"You can't love me Bruce," she whispered. "You don't even know me."

His lips parted as if to speak but Selina no longer wanted to hear what he had to say. She started the engine and it revved to life. He stepped back as she sped out of the driveway, sending shards of gravel flying into the air. Keeping her lips firmly pressed together she sped through the dark, vast country lanes, relieved to see the city lights of Gotham appear on the horizon. Blinking back tears, she eased the car through the west side of Gotham, flinging it into the alley way behind the gallery. With trembling arms she pulled herself up the fire escape stairs, exhaling with relief as she neared her floor. She slipped through the open window, into the darkness that was her bedroom, still slightly a mess from how she had left it only a few hours ago. Rubbing her eyes she turned to her bed and flicked on the bedside light. A high pitched shriek erupted from her mouth.

She hadn't been expecting to see him sitting on the edge of her bed. To her alarm he was literally covered in blood and appeared to be wearing a hospital uniform. His greasy hair was pulled back into a tight pony tail at the nape of his neck and to her surprise he wasn't wearing any makeup.

He didn't look at her right away. He just stared blankly ahead, his mouth working silently.

"J-Jack?" her voice trembled. She reached out and put her hand on his shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

As if he had suddenly become aware that she had just stepped into the room, his craned his neck up to look at her. His eyes raked over her face and she noticed his deep brown eyes, still slightly smudged with black paint, searching hers. He tilted his head to the side and narrowed his eyes.

"Have you...been _crying_?" he asked, his mouth jerking slightly. Selina sat beside him on the bed, her weight making the mattress dip.

"Yes," she whispered. He was warm. She could feel his warmth through the thin hospital scrubs he was wearing. Tilting her own head, she rested it against his shoulder, moving slightly closer. His hands were covered in blood, dried and sticky as she linked her fingers through his. His free arm moved around her shoulder and trailed lightly up her back, where it hovered gently over her head before entwining his fingers in her ratty blonde hair. He pulled his fingers through her curls as though he were combing it free of tangles.

Selina closed her eyes and let her initial fear ebb away. In the darkness of the room, she could hear him breathing. She could see the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Without really being aware of him doing it, he lowered her back to the bed, half rolling her onto him so that she fit snugly under his arm. She placed her hand on his chest, trailing the pattern the blood made with her index finger.

"Jack you're covered in blood," she said, knowing she wasn't going to like his reply, if he deemed to give her one.

"Yeah," he muttered softly his voice rising higher in a slow rhythm. "The last of the Falcone gang is gone, gone, _gone_. She won't be bothering you any_more_."

Every nerve ending in Selina's body was telling her that she needed to run away. Everything rational in her mind was screaming at her to move. But she couldn't. Her body betrayed her and like a lead weight she rested her head back down. She felt emotion plug up her throat and to her horror she began to cry. Tears streaked down her face, making his shirt damp below her cheek. He continued playing with her damp curls while she sobbed into his chest. She recalled the way Bruce had looked at her and she had felt no better than the criminals that he fought every night. He must be so disappointed. She sobbed harder.

After what seemed like an eternity she lifted her chin and caught him staring down at her. His pupils were so wide that it was almost alarming in the darkness of the room. Without speaking he used his fingers to ease her chin up, not bothering to close his eyes as he sought out her mouth. Selina was shocked rigid, too surprised to move. She let him kiss her and closed her eyes, an aching, lonely part of her responding helplessly. His mouth was hard and firm, his teeth bumping hers clumsily that it was almost heart wrenching. Selina wondered at how many women he had kissed in his whole life.

Her fingers traced the bones of his face and she felt warmth on her ribcage, his hand travelling down to rest on her stomach. When she heard her zipper being inched up, her eyes flew open and she was taken out of the moment. For one second she was with Bruce again and it had been him kissing her. Feeling sick and wretched she pulled away and stared at him helplessly. Selina supposed she must be dead inside. He had just told her that he'd killed a woman and that he'd done it for her. And then she'd let him kiss her.

"Can we just go to sleep?" she wondered if he would become angry at her request. She felt his hand move away. He made a disappointed noise in his throat and lifted his shoulders in a shrug.

She settled back down into the nook of his underarm, breathing deeply as she closed her eyes. She knew that as she lay there he was watching her. She could feel his gaze sweep across her face. He took his index finger and trailed it lightly over her mouth and down over her chin, as if the curves and structure of her face fascinated him.

"You're wrong to trust me," he whispered in the dark. Selina barely heard him, for he had begun to play with her locks of hair once more and she was falling asleep.

**Special mentions-love you all!**

**Reality Assassin, Sammy Mackie, Savage Crazy Lovable Girl, Eloise, The Freelancer Seal, Vibra, Neurotic Isopod, nhhanh2406, Lady Altair, Dragon Girl of the Stars, Alykitkat, Superheat 123, Sarafina Knowles, Olivia, Kate xx, CMU, Indie Sol, Cupcake on a mission and marissamusic12**


	30. Gordon's Way

**Hi everyone. Thanks to all of you who have kindly left me reviews and added me to their alerts/favs. I so love writing this right now. This Chapter is another flashback and I really hope you enjoy what's coming. This is a little shorter than my other chapters but I'm hoping you will not mind too much.**

**Gordon's Way**

Nineteen Years Earlier

The boy was a little unnerving. For half an hour he had sat, almost completely still, his mouth working silently and his eyes flicking back and forth, peering up from under knitted brows. Slightly taller than an average eleven year old, his long, thin arms were tightly crossed over his wide chest.

Officer Santos had been watching the kid for all that time, since the boy had been marched into the GCPD, his wrists cuffed together. Gordon had eased the boy into a chair, his hand pushing firmly on the boy's broad shoulder blade, forcing him to sit, but gently. That was Gordon's way. Easy does it. Santos had to admire his superior for that. It was a hard life being a Gotham Uniformed Officer. You saw things that changed you and made you hard. Sometimes it made you turn in a direction that you never thought you'd face. But not Gordon. He was as gentle as a deer but had the inner strength of a lion. Santos watched fascinated as Gordon removed the cuffs.

Gordon had turned to Santos and raised his eyebrows, letting an exhausted sigh escape through his teeth.

"Can you watch him while I pull some files?" he asked and Santos sat up straight. He'd been in the midst of filing anyhow, nothing too serious. He could certainly spend time watching the strange kid, who was now eyeing him sceptically, an odd smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

"Yeah, sure," he answered, licking his dry lips. Gordon nodded and stared momentarily down at the blonde boy.

"Don't let him out of your sight," he warned seriously and then stared down at the handcuffs that were hanging limply in his hand. He took a deep breath, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, startling him, so that he looked up at the older man towering above him.

"I don't want to have to put these back on you Jack," his tone was serious. "I _trust _you to stay here and sit still until I get back. Don't go giving Officer Santos any trouble."

The boy tilted his head, chewing the inside of his mouth quite noisily. He lifted his eyes, only momentarily but Santos could read the admission of agreement.

Gordon clicked his tongue and turned away, his tired eyes meeting Santos's eager ones.

"I mean it," he lowered his voice as he passed, so that the boy wouldn't hear. "Do not leave him for a second. He's not as docile as he looks."

Gordon rolled up his sleeve, flexing out the muscles of his fingers and seemed to wince, inhaling sharply through his teeth. Gordon had not meant for the younger, dark haired officer to see it but it was a little too late. Santos had seen what looked like the imprint of a mouth on Gordon's wrist, like little bite marks. Santos gritted his teeth.

"You sure you should be taking those away?" he nodded quietly towards the restraints that Gordon now placed in the draw of Santo's desk. Gordon's mouth lifted in a half hearted smile.

"It's just a scratch. And to be honest it was just retaliation. One of my men was a bit rough with him getting him out of the car. I want him to know that I trust him not to do it again. But...uh...just keep your eyes open?"

"Yes sir," Santos swallowed his gaze returning to the boy in the chair, who was now staring absently down at his nails. His fingers were covered in black ink and Santos guessed that he had just been to have his prints taken. He wondered why Gordon had chosen to bring the kid down to the lower offices of the MCU. But when the telephone rang a second after that thought had left his head, the kid immediately shrank back in his seat and Santos guessed why.

The phone continued to ring but it wasn't Santos's line so he didn't get up to answer it.

Santos was twenty three and had a wife and child to support. He hoped to work his way up someday to detective and buy a place nicer than the one they currently lived in down by the docks. Tapping his pen lightly on the desk, he shot the boy a question when Gordon was out of the room.

"You want a drink kid?" he asked. The boy breathed in heavily but didn't answer. Santos had a half empty bottle of soda on his desk. He got up stiffly, having spent most of the morning answering phone calls at his desk and wandered over to the water cooler. He grabbed a paper cup from the dispenser and emptied the soda into it. He went to the desk that the boy was sat next to and slid the cup along its surface.

Just then the boy glanced up and Santos got a proper look at his face. He felt his legs temporarily weaken and he sucked back the gasp that had been about to escape from his mouth.

What the hell had happened to that kid's face? He was deathly pale, thin paper coloured skin stretched over gaunt bones. But either side of his mouth were lacerations that had been crudely stitched back together. Santos could even make out the little holes where the stitches had been removed. Someone had done a number on him.

Awkwardly Santos looked away, returning to his seat where he continued to take calls and file papers, much the same as he did every day. He became absorbed in his work and after a while stood, stretching out the muscles of his back. The kid still hadn't moved and it was coming close to half an hour that Gordon had been gone. He also noticed that he hadn't bothered to touch the cup of soda that he'd left for him.

Wandering to the coffee pot, he sloped some of the black, dingy liquid into a Styrofoam cup, gulping it down greedily. When he walked back past the kid he heard something. Stooping over the boy, he listened and felt all the hairs on his neck stand stiffly to attention.

With his lips pressed firmly together, the boy appeared to be trying to stifle back muffled laughter. His eyebrows shooting upwards, Santos stepped back, his back stiffening. He didn't know why it bothered him, but it did. The boy rocked slightly in his seat, his shoulders shaking with mirth.

"What's so _funny _kid?" Santos shot crossly. "You _hear _me? I asked you a damn question!"

The boy tilted sideways, squeezing his eyes together, a cackle unlike any Santos had ever heard finally bursting out of his mouth. The boy began to roar, tears streaming down from his closed eyes. It was all Santos could do not to spring from the room in fright. His face screwed up in alarm, he took a step or two away, far enough so that he could feel a little safer. But that laughter, that sound, he had a feeling he would still be thinking about that when he crawled into bed beside his wife that very night.

The something changed. The laughter bloomed into what sounded like an anguished cry, almost like sobbing. The boy slumped forward, his body exhausted and his chin practically touching his chest. And that was how he remained until Gordon hurried back into the room a few moments later.

He eyed Santos warily. "What happened?"

The younger Officer, clearly disturbed, threw his arms in the air.

"I don't know...he started laughing and then crying. And now this. Creepiest damn thing thing I've ever seen!"

Gordon unclenched his jaw, tapping the files he was holding on the desk in front of him.

"Umm. He is a little odd," he agreed at last. "Sorry I didn't mean to be so long."

Santos shook his head. "You were going to take him to the cells?"

"Hmm. No!" Gordon seemed more concerned with the slumped figure in the chair than his junior officer. "No. I'm taking him to Interview room two. It's quiet in there and I want to talk to him first. But you couldn't do me a favour?"

Gordon suddenly turned his full attention back to Santos, who was staring at him a little wide eyed.

"Make a cell available for him in case we need to keep him tonight. And I need Rowan Briggs from Black Gate Juvenile aware that we'll be bringing him a new inmate over to him sometime later today or in the morning."

Gordon wandered to where Jack was sitting, still gazing down at his navel, his face slightly damp from tears. He tapped the boy on the shoulder but that didn't seem to get his attention.

"Jack," he said that warning tone in his voice again. "Jack..._Napier_?"

The boy's head sprung upwards as if he had a wire attached to it. Gordon smiled grimly, noting the boy's almost fully dilated pupils. He had chewed on his lower lip and it was weeping blood.

"So...that _is _your name. Good. At least that's something isn't it? It seems that someone reported you missing a while back...a good while back actually. About six years ago, which would have made you about five years old."

Jack sat back in the chair and crossed his arms once more. Gordon took his upper arm and eased him to his feet. The boy darted a quick look at Santos before leaving the office and visibly witnessed the fresh faced officer pale when he stared at him. He shuffled his feet awkwardly as Gordon propelled him along the corridor, being wilfully uncooperative. He could hear Gordon's patience waning as finally at the end of the bustling corridor he was pushed through a green door, clearly marked as 'Interview Room'. There was very little in the room apart from a steel table, two chairs and a tape recorder.

Three of the four walls were painted dreary, cool beige and the last facing wall was merely glass. Gordon scraped back the chair and pushed Jack into it, where he shifted uncomfortably. Taking his time, Gordon loosened the tie on his uniform and then pulled back his own chair. He sat with his elbows on the table, his hands clasped together by his mouth.

Jack sloped his eyes towards the recording device and noticed that Gordon hadn't bothered to turn it on just yet. Jack closed his eyes and wished that the man would stop staring at him like that.

"Jack," he began gently. "Do you want anything? A drink or something?"

The boy swallowed and then finally opened his mouth to speak. It seemed like a long forgotten noise, raspy and shallow.

"No."

"Are you warm enough in here?" There was another long pause.

"Oh, I'm just fine...thank _you._"

Gordon was snug in his dark blue overcoat, but despite that he shivered slightly. Like someone had whispered a breath on the back of his neck. Then he realised that it was the boy's voice that had done that to him. It was a strange sound. Unnaturally mature for someone his age.

"Jack..." he began again, determined to put whatever macabre feelings this boy inspired in him, far away from his mind. No wonder Santos had appeared so unnerved when he had gotten back and he had only been alone with him for half an hour at the most. "Jack I have a missing persons report here that goes back six years. It was filed by a Harold and Elaine Napier. Their son went missing from his play school when he was five years old. Is _this _you?"

Gordon placed a file between them on the desk. Near the bottom of the page there was an enlarged black and white photograph of a boy on a swing set in his back garden. The boy was blonde, round faced and smiling. Jack flicked his eyes at the picture for the briefest moment before tearing them away and staring absently at the wall.

"Is this you?" Gordon repeated. He had tried hard not to stare too much at the boy's very disturbing scarring but with him looking blankly in every other direction other than directly at him, Gordon couldn't help it. The room was so quiet and the boy breathed quite loudly he came to realise. The picture of the child and the one that was sitting before him were so vastly different that it almost made Gordon a little queasy.

"I..I don't remember," the answer came at last. Gordon breathed a sigh of relief. At least he was talking to him.

"Do you _remember _being taken away?" the older man probed. The boy's eyes were filling up. He turned them to the wall once more and Gordon felt all his fear ebbing away. Of course he would realise later, that was a mistake.

Sighing Gordon decided to take a different tact. Jack had reached for the table and had begun to tap his fingers along the steel edge, in a rhythmic, steady beat. One, two three...one, two, three.

"How long were you at Humberside?" he asked suddenly. Jack's eyes widened and lifted.

"Not long," he answered. One..two..three. One..two..three.

"Shame about what happened there. It seemed like a nice place to grow up. Did you make some friends there?"

The boy swallowed. "Some."

"That poor boy...what was his name? Tony, that's right. You must have been so upset about what happened to him. And the whole place burning to the ground like that? It's an awful shame."

One. Two. Three. "Well...everything burns."

Gordon rocked slightly in his seat. "That's an odd thing to say Jack," he cleared his throat. "It seems that whenever you're around, things tend to happen. Like the killings at the Gotham Fair? I seem to remember you being there as well. In the middle of the night! Can you explain what you were doing there?"

One. Two. Three. No answer. He swiped his tongue over his lower lip, feeling around the little welt that he'd created earlier. Gordon shifted impatiently.

"Five people died in that fire. We found Jason Trent's remains but there was very little left of him to identify. But we know that he was stabbed to death before the fire got him."

The strangest thing happened to the boy's face. His eyes lightened and a smile curled on his lips. Gordon found himself looking at the boy's mouth, his smile the most engaging thing on that empty face. It seemed to bring him to life.

"What's so funny?" Gordon was repeating the question that Santos had asked him only a short while ago. "You don't feel remorse for that boy's death?"

Jack twitched his eyebrows. "I could pretend to if you like. I'm good at that."

"We have the knife that killed that boy. And we have your prints on it. In fact we have your prints over the charred remains of that caravan. What do you have to say about that?"

His brows twitching once more in amusement, he opened his mouth. "I'll be sure to wear gloves next time."

Gordon slapped his hand on the table but it didn't get the reaction he wanted. The boy was infallible. He didn't even flinch as Gordon leaned across the table towards him, his teeth and jaw clenched.

"Don't you know I'm trying to help you?" he hissed. "Do you know what happens to young offenders in Black gate Juvenile? They come out worse than when they went in. It's like school for young criminals."

Nothing. He just looked away. Gordon huffed. "Do you really want to be locked up for the rest of your life?"

When that didn't provoke any kind of response Gordon raked his hands across his tired eyes, leaning heavily down on his elbows. Exhausted he got up and inched towards the door. He had one last trick up his sleeve and it hadn't occurred to him to use it until now. He cracked the door open, staring into the empty corridor.

"Officer James?" he called out although no one was there. He flicked his eyes back to the boy in the chair, satisfied that he could see and hear him. He turned his eyes back out into the empty corridor.

"Officer I need you to go back to Wayne Manor and bring me in the little blonde who we interviewed that night of the caravan fire. Selina...yeah that's right. Can you please get her here as soon as you can?"

Gordon closed the door and looked back at the boy in the chair. Jack was sitting bolt upright, his eyes snapped open, wide and alert. Gordon suppressed a grin. Bingo!

Jack was staring at him as Gordon took back his seat. The boy looked like he'd suddenly woken from a deep sleep, his eyes roaming the room greedily, his back arched in anticipation.

"Why'd you do that?" he asked, gnashing his teeth noisily together. Gordon kept his face neutral, a mock confused expression fleeting across his face.

"There are many holes in this story Mr. Napier and I need to speak to Selina to help us fill in those holes. You don't have a problem with that... _do you_?"

"What _holes?_" Jack twitched nervously. "What do you want to know?"

Gordon marvelled, smile lighting up his face. "Funny. _Now _you feel like talking to me?"

Jack twisted his head from side to side. "Don't bring her here. _Don't!_"

"But she's part of this investigation Jack. Whether you like it or not. She might remember things that you can't."

"I can remember!" he shot suddenly, his torso nearly half way across the table. The sudden movement alarmed Gordon, he twitched in his chair. Jack's pupils were full and black, like a wild moon. "What do you want?"

"Well actually I'm now more interested in why you _don't _want your little friend here. This is what gets a reaction out of you?"

Jack was twisting uncomfortably in his seat, his hands balled up on the table. Gordon considered the cuffs again but ignored the warning bells for the moment. He felt like he was actually getting somewhere, the mere thought of the girl being in the station appeared to physically hurt the boy and Gordon didn't like being responsible for that.

But he decided that he would push Jack a little more. He'd been in a state of near catatonia since leaving Wayne Manor. He knew that what he was about to say might frighten Jack. It had disturbed him when he'd read the report, but somehow he had a strong feeling he knew what had happened that night.

"When forensics examined Trent's remains they found traces of female DNA under his nails. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Gordon made his voice soft; he leaned closer across the table. "The evidence suggested that Trent had been intimate with..._someone_ only a few hours before he was killed. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you Jack?"

Jack was trembling. His shoulders shook with the force of the tremors that were ebbing through his body. A little alarmed, Gordon stood quickly and came to kneel before him, his hands firmly on the boy's shoulders. Jack was holding his breath, his lips quickly turning blue.

"Jack..._stop that now_. Look at me!" Gordon commanded but the boy wasn't listening. He squeezed his eyes shut. His face became beet red and Gordon forced himself not to panic. He knew it would be moments before he would release the air in his lungs and he told himself to hang on.

"Look at me Jack. Tell me what happened. Did Jason Trent hurt Selina? Did he do something to her?"

Jack released a great gust of air through his clenched teeth. He made a noise much the same that a wounded animal would make, a violent, disturbing snarl. Gordon was almost sure he had his answer, but he wasn't letting the kid off the hook just yet. Despite his motives, he had still killed five people.

"Rene Falcone has told me that you see yourself as quite the champion when it comes to that girl. She told me that you made quite a serious threat against her when you didn't agree on how she was treating Selina. But I wonder at how far you would go, Jack?"

When he didn't answer, Gordon felt his heart deflate. "Well maybe when Selina arrives we can question her further? Maybe she can shed some light on what happened?"

"No. _No!_" Jack's eyes sprung open, the irises wide and black. "Don't do that!"

Gordon took his shoulder gently, patting it soothingly as a father would have done. "You need to start talking to me Jack. If you do I can help you. Tell me about what has happened to you."

Then Gordon took both his large hands and placed them either side of Jack's face. The tender, almost parental gesture shocked the boy into stillness, his dead eyes merely peering out from his gaunt face as the older man used his thumbs to stroke over the soft, but ruined skin of his cheeks. Gordon's eyes narrowed at the scarring, tracing the laceration with his thumb, feeling the puckering flesh beneath the pad. He swallowed, almost sensing the violent act that must have taken place for this to have occurred.

He asked himself how anyone could bring themselves to hurt a boy that way. He was newly married and his wife Barbra was desperate for a child of their own. Gordon was automatically an extremely soft hearted man, he cried at sad movies and he felt for those victims that he helped everyday on the streets of Gotham. Violence towards those who couldn't protect themselves, to him was unthinkable.

But he had heard things. Stories from the narrows had filtered their way through to the Homicide Unit of the GCPD, where Gordon spent his days. Children had been going missing in the narrows for years. There were terrible rumours that the girls were sold and the rest worked in the factories run by the Falcone family. It seemed like Carmine Falcone was a modern day Fagin, rounding up lost youngsters and using them to add to his own little army. God only knew what happened to some of the ones who didn't make it.

Beneath his hands, the boy was shaking. Gordon felt such a tug of pity in his heart, such a wrench of sadness that suddenly he didn't want to let him go. Finally, his hands dropped to his sides and Jack recoiled, as though he'd been burned. Gordon wondered if he'd ever been held at all in his life.

"I get that you want to protect your friend, Jack," he whispered. "I do understand. And I get that you might want to be her hero and that is really sweet. But what you did...what you're doing isn't heroic. Its murder."

Gordon found himself becoming used to the monotonous silence. He stood, dusting off his knees and eased himself back in the chair opposite the boy. Jack sat rigid watching the officer keenly, his shoulders almost pulled up to his ears.

Gordon looked at him for the longest time before whistling through his teeth.

"Dear God," he uttered, clasping his hands together firmly. "What the hell happened to you kid?"

Jack peered up at him over the bridge of his nose, tilting his chin ever so slightly to the right. He licked his lips and knew the man had lied to him.

"She isn't coming here is she?" he asked at last and Gordon smiled in defeat and shook his head.

"No," he said. Jack nodded slowly.

"Well you had me," Jack threw him a disarming smile. It once again, struck Gordon at how the boy's smile literally took hold of his face. "Good for you."

"How old are you again Jack?"

"Eleven. Why?"

Gordon smiled sadly. "I've never met a boy who talks like you, that's all."

The remark obviously struck Jack as funny, for he snorted laughter through his nose. Jack began to drum his fingers against the steel of the table once more. One. Two. Three.

"Well there's a first time for everything I guess."

Gordon stretched his arms forward, jumping a little as there was a light wrap at the door. A female officer poked her dark head around the corner. Gordon smiled at her, but it never quite reached his eyes.

"Sorry Jim," she said darting at look at the boy in the chair. "Rowan Briggs is on the phone for you."

Sliding his hands along the table, Gordon rose to his feet, nodding at Jack as he did so.

"I'll be back in a moment Jack," he promised and Jack raised his eyebrows, his expression cocky and arrogant.

"Oh I won't go anywhere," he retorted, his lip curling up. Outside the corridor had once again filled, and was bustling with cops, the air buzzing and noisy. The female officer put a hand on his arm.

"Jim...that kid needs to be put in a cell," her hand was right over the bite mark of his arm and Gordon winced a little at the sting. "He's dangerous."

"He's eleven years old Marina," he laughed it off. "I think I'll be able to take care of myself."

Jim rolled his eyes at her pained expression. "I need to take this call. But can you do something for me?"

Grimly, the dark haired woman nodded, folding her arms across her chest. "What?"

"Take the kid to the cells. He needs some time to cool off. But perhaps...give him something to write with, some paper or something? It'll give him something to do."

He smiled at the bemused expression on the younger officer's pretty face. Marina was new to the team and hadn't been on the streets that long, but she had managed to make herself an integral part of the Homicide unit.

"You trying out some sort of therapy technique?" she joked and he laughed.

"Well you never know what goes on in kids heads these days," he said, jamming his hands into his pockets before heading through the door back out towards the bustling offices. Confident that things were looking better than they had been a couple of hours ago, he darted for the receiver on his desk.

Sliding into his seat, he pressed the button on his machine and the call was put through.

"James Gordon," he said into the receiver and promptly heard a gruff, stern voice that he knew belonged to Rowan Briggs, the warden for the Black Gate Juvenile Unit.

"Gordon," he drawled at the other end of the line. "I hear you have another little rat for my cage down here. How's it going?"

Gordon made a face, glad that the man himself was not here to witness it. He had never liked Briggs, purely because of the tales that had come out of the infamous unit out beyond the palisades. The fact that the man referred to his inmates as 'rats' was one thing. Usually offenders came out better criminals than when they had entered. Before his death only months ago, Thomas Wayne had sunk a fortune into the place in the grim hope that they were going to be building a small psychiatric hospital on site, to help rehabilitate inmates. Gordon didn't like to dwell on where that money had ended up.

"Actually," Gordon said hopefully. "I'm having some luck with him. I'm hoping that if this goes our way, he could be a key witness against Falcone. I'm almost positive that's where he came from."

Rowan clicked his tongue at the other end. "Hmm. That's going to take some doing Gordon. If there's one thing I've learnt about 'Carmine's Boys' is that they almost never talk. God only knows what that arsehole does to them but it ain't anything good."

"Well I've gathered that," Gordon replied stiffly. "Still I believe he'll be better off here until we can more out of him. Anything he can give us on Falcone would be like gold dust."

"What is he like?" Briggs asked and Gordon made a face.

"Well...he's a little strange," Gordon offered. "He needs some sort of therapy that's for sure."

There was a gushing sound of laughter at the other end of the line.

"What he needs is a bullet in the head. Excuse my language but that kid is probably more screwed up than you know. I had one in here a few years back. The nurses tried to help him. In the end we found him hanging up by his own shoe laces," he laughed and Gordon shuddered. "Watch him."

"I will," Gordon snapped. God what a brute of a man! "I'll let you know if we need you."

"Gordon," Briggs interjected quickly before Jim could hang up. Jim rolled his eyes.

"Yeah?"

"I meant what I said you know. Be careful. The thing about Carmine's boys is they go in like pups, but come out mad dogs."

The warning making him shiver slightly, Jim uttered a begrudging thank you into the receiver.

Replacing the receiver more calmly than he actually felt, Gordon stared at the phone for a while longer, willing his anger back down. It was because of people like Rowan Briggs that kids like Jack ended up either dead or back in prison. Gotham seemed to be caught in the midst of a feeding frenzy. The moment fodder was spat back out into the system, they were almost instantly gobbled back up by thugs like Falcone who broke them down and turned them into monsters.

Standing slowly, he walked back through the MCU, flexing his aching shoulder muscles. He said hello to those that he passed but in reality his thoughts were stuck on the strange new inmate. His footsteps became quicker as he ducked his head around the door of the staff room. He expected to see Marina there and frowned when all he saw was one of the juniors with his feet up on the couch, eating his lunch.

"Aimes...you seen Marina?" he asked. Aimes poked his head over the top of the couch.

"She took that kid to the cell. I haven't seen her come back yet...but her Mom called ten minutes ago about the wedding again. Tell her when you see her will you?"

The chimes of an alarm bell began to sound in his ears. "Uh, sure," he replied. Ducking out of the staff room, he found that he was hurrying, his knees a little weak as he reached the elevator. Pushing the button, he grimaced in annoyance deciding to quickly take the stairs. His heart was back flipping in his chest.

It's alright, he told himself. Marina is just fine. Gordon swore that she could handle a child; she'd handled drunken louts on a Friday night bigger than himself. Still, something in his gut was wrong as his feet landed on the basement floor. It was a long brisk walk to the cells, down a long empty corridor and Gordon had never been more nervous than in his whole life.

When he rounded the corner, he saw the cells doors stretch ahead of him. They were in a block shaped like an L and to his relief he saw that each door was firmly shut, but he still had to get around the corner, where the last six cells sat. Why would she have brought him all the way down here? He asked himself. As he walked he peered through the small glass viewing holes. Some were empty and some weren't. He saw plenty of angry, dead eyes staring back out at him but none of them belonged to Jack.

"_Marina_?" he called, his throat sticking. God where the _hell _was she? He reached the corner and peered around it, finding the very thing that he didn't want to. At the very end of the corridor, one of the cell doors was flung wide open. He saw a pair of legs and a torso out of the door, blood pooling out around them. It seemed that Jim's heart stopped in his chest. Everything went strangely blurry and grey. On wooden legs, he began to run, but it was almost like wading through tar. He couldn't seem to pick up speed. He couldn't get there fast enough.

Marina had collapsed on the floor of the cell, her arms spread out wildly at either side. Jim gagged on what he saw. The floor of the cell was covered in bright orange card, like it had gone flying out of the woman's grip. She had a pencil jammed into her left eye, buried deep within her cranium. The rubber eraser was protruding out of the dead woman's skull, blood pouring down one side of her face, matted in her thick dark hair. The expression of horror and pain on her face was all the man needed to send him flying backwards.

"Oh Jesus...Jesus," he moaned before gripping the cell door and vomiting. His hands steadied himself against the bulk of the cell door, the steel cool on his hot skin. On shaking legs he ran for help.

An hour later he was recalling the details to another officer, a coat wrapped around his shoulders and a small glass of whiskey in front of him. He couldn't stop shivering. Gordon would later sob in the arms of his wife, guilt overwhelming him at the loss of another officer on his watch. The incident would take years to get over but he would never forget what had happened. What had eluded Jim the most was that this boy had simply walked out of the building; having killed an officer of the law, likely to be covered in blood, and nobody had seen him leave. CCTV footage would later reveal that the boy had walked past almost twelve officers, unseen and unheard and no one had stopped him.

He had tortured himself over and over. How had a boy managed to overpower a grown woman? How had nobody seen him? It was his fault she was dead. Marina had told Jim to lock the boy away and instead he had sent her to do the job, sending the poor woman to her grim, violent death. He remembered the look of shock on Marina's empty face. She had not seen it coming.

A month after the incident, Gordon was still recovering at home after the ordeal. Barbra had been thrilled to have her husband home for such a long period of time, but she knew that it was time for him to get back to work. He seemed distant and irritable. One morning, Jim went to his mail box seeing a piece of Orange card sticking out of it. He pulled it out and read the words on the card, the handwriting childishly scribbled. Jim tore the card up, feeling bile rise in his throat, but till the day he died he would never forget what it had said.

It had simply read. _Who said anything about being a hero?_

**Hope you all enjoyed that? Thought it would be good to get a Gordon Chapter in there. Let me know what you think. Love you all, you are amazing and really keep me going.**


	31. Alone

**Hey everyone. Sorry for the long wait. This is a bit of a shorter chapter than I normally write but it was actually quite draining to do. It's very Selina centred but I promise that there is a lot more action coming up in the future chapters. Thanks to all that have reviewed and added me to their favs/alerts. You guys are fab and make this worth doing. Hope you enjoy and as always please let me know what you think. **

**LBG xxx**

**Alone**

A soft breeze crossed the room and touched Selina's face, making her shiver and huddle further under her sheets. In that moment, she blinked awake, bleary eyed but suddenly very alert, bolting up against the headboard. The space beside her was empty; the sheets cool to the touch. Her heart betrayed her by sinking a little. She hated to admit that she was a little sorry that he was gone. But then she had become used to Jack's morning exits by now.

Swallowing she sat up straight, wrinkling her nose and wincing from the bruise there. Gingerly she lifted her fingers to her face and gently prodded, relieved to feel that her nose wasn't the size of a melon. It felt that big. Her heart sank further when she remembered how she had come to be punched in the face.

Groaning she leaned back against the pillow, closing her eyes. What had she done? In one move Selina had put herself in the most dangerous position. Not only did the Bat know who she was, but he knew all about her associations with the Joker. And the Bat happened to be Bruce Wayne, a man who she was horribly attracted to. When she thought about his face in the darkness of the car and the way he had looked at her, Selina was taken over by a violent urge to be sick.

Men had hit her before. Selina had been on the other end of many beatings from Elliot over the years, more than she cared to remember. The fact that Bruce had hit her and hit her hard meant nothing. In some way, Selina knew she deserved it, she had hurt him first and he was only reacting in the way men do. How could she expect a vigilante like Batman to have such self control? It had been the way he had looked at her. He had called her deluded and in that moment Selina had seen herself in his eyes. She had seen the way he saw her and the way he felt about her.

Selina was a criminal. It had been plainly written across his face. She represented the very thing he was trying to fight. He was fighting every nignt to free Gotham of people like her. But worse than that, he'd felt sorry for her. She'd seen the look of pity on his face and she suddenly despised him for it. In that moment in his bedroom when he'd been kneeling in front of her, he'd wanted to save her.

Selina huffed and folded her arms. God she had never felt so wretched. And so vulnerable. Elliot had kept her as his little living doll for years. He'd beat her; embarrassed her but he also taught her how to fight back. He'd never made her feel like a victim. Because no matter how hard he pushed her down, he'd urge her to crawl back up. He had taken her heart and replaced it with a rock, which weighed heavy in her chest. He took what little softness she'd had and used it against her so that the next time he attacked, she was ready for him.

In his own twisted way, Elliot had made her strong, so strong that he hadn't expected that one day she would outgrow him, like children do. Cursing her weakness, Selina swung her legs over the side of the bed, wriggling out of the suit that still clung to her like skin.

Although she had showered hours ago at Wayne Manor, Selina stood for a good twenty minutes under the hot spray in her tub, as though the water would rinse away the memories of the night before. Every time she opened her eyes, she saw Bruce's face. Scrubbing herself clean, she leaned her forehead against the tiled wall, willing down tears that threatened to bubble out of her throat.

"_I think I'm in love with you."_

The words came rushing back to her and she bit down on her lip. Selina knew that by now he was probably waking, realising the absurdity of his own confession and feeling the shame of it. How could someone like Bruce Wayne love her? Selina rubbed her eyes, wishing she could wash away the memory of how he looked standing on the driveway, crestfallen and miserable. It hurt her insides to think that he was now probably regretting his words. Her stomach was twisted into a knots and she felt like she was crawling with embarrassment. What had possessed her to reveal herself?

Grabbing a towel from the wrack she wrapped it around herself and perched on the edge of the tub, letting the water drip down onto the tiles. When she had heard his voice in the alley for a split second, for one moment, she had thought he would actually understand. She thought that maybe she had found someone who would be her equal. She had wanted him to see her for what she really was, but it had backfired monumentally.

Selina dressed in a long sleeved pale blue shirt and pressed grey pants. She applied her eyeliner more heavily and put on lashings of mascara. The only evidence of her encounter with the Bat was a bluey purple streak that ran across the bridge of her nose, but she managed to cover it successfully with makeup. Slipping on her heels she hurried into the hallway, suddenly struck by the sight that awaited her there.

Narrowing her eyes, she stared down at a soggy copy of the Gotham Tribune laying crumpled on her carpet by the door. Lying beside it was a half empty milk carton, its contents drying in a pool around it. Selina bent and picked up the ruined newspaper between two fingers, still dripping with milk. She ran to the kitchen and dumped the paper in the trash but caught the bold morning headline glaring up at her.

**Mysterious Falcone Murder linked to Joker Killings.**

Selina gaped at the headline, blinking rapidly. It amazed her how she could forget so easily. Jack had confessed to killing Rene Falcone last night. Her blood had been drying on his fingers. Fingers that he had run carelessly through Selina's hair. Feeling slightly queasy, she swallowed and leaned against the kitchen counter. Taking a breath she found some kitchen towel and went back to the hall to mop up the spilt milk. Pressing the towel into the puddle, Selina guessed that Holly had been here. Tossing the towel aside Selina hurried back down the narrow stair way.

Holly was bent over the computer in the main foyer of the gallery. To Selina's surprise there were customers in the gallery, a man and a woman but Holly didn't seem to be giving them her usual attention. They turned at the sound of Selina's heels on the polished floor and she threw them a polite smile. Holly didn't look up as Selina approached. The younger, dark haired girl was staring at the screen, her lips pressed thinly together. Selina immediately noticed how pale the girl was. She had two very dark rings around her eyes, which worried Selina the moment she looked up. She saw Selina approaching the desk and looked down again.

"Holly?" she probed as she got a little closer.

Holly didn't lift her eyes. "Good morning Selina," she chirped, a smile on her lips. The smile didn't reach her eyes and Selina's stomach clenched.

"Were you in my apartment earlier?" Selina whispered, leaning against the desk. The couple were busy roaming through the gallery, their attention diverted from the two women at the desk.

"Sorry about the mess," Holly didn't sound sorry at all.

"Why won't you look at me?" Selina hissed through her teeth. To her alarm the couple passed close by, throwing them a smile and saying thank you before closing the door behind them. Finally alone, Selina spun the swivel chair that Holly was rooted to, so that she faced her. The brunette stared up at her through dark, hurt eyes, filled with anxiety and dread.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" Selina didn't bother to lower her tone now that the customers had left.

Holly looked away. "I was coming up to talk to you...I was bringing you the paper and your milk. I thought since it was past nine and you hadn't shown that you had been out again. I was reading that headline..." she broke off as though it hurt her to speak. To Selina's dismay, Holly's eyes filled up.

Regretting her annoyance, Selina knelt in front of Holly. She reached for her hand but Holly pulled away.

Holly stared back at her and now she looked angry. "I came through the door and...he was standing there Selina."

"Oh," Selina suddenly understood. This time when Selina reached for Holly's hands she didn't pull away, in fact she was trembling so hard that she gripped them harder.

"He was just standing there as if he was waiting for me to come through the door. I don't know how I didn't scream...he scared me half to death Selina. And he was covered in blood...it was everywhere, on his hands, on his face...in his hair.."

Selina ducked her eyes, feeling utterly ashamed. "What happened then?"

"I just stood there...I couldn't move. And he was just staring at me. He started to come towards me and that's when I dropped the milk and he said...he said something about how I hadn't thanked him properly yet... for saving my life. I was so terrified that I couldn't breathe."

At that moment Selina couldn't have hated herself more. Guilt welled up in her throat. She rubbed the back of Holly's clasped hands, almost white from the pressure she was exerting.

"Did he hurt you?" Selina asked, almost terrified of the answer she was about to hear. To her relief, Holly shook her dark curls.

"He got closer and all I could see was blood. I could smell it on him. He must have guessed that was what I was looking at because then he kind of laughed and said not to worry, it wasn't your blood. At that point I backed out the door as fast as I could. He laughed at me and I could still hear him pacing around your apartment for ages afterwards. I wanted to call the cops but I was too scared and I didn't know...I didn't know what to do."

Selina looked up at Holly, her expression grave. The younger girl slipped her cold hands out from under Selina's. The stare that Holly unleashed on her then was like a bullet in the chest. Selina could feel her stomach clench again. Holly's lips curled into a grimace.

"And now here _you _are. Smelling like Chanel, wearing clean clothes and looking like nothing happened at all. _Please _tell me that he isn't still up there Selina?"

"No!" Selina gasped. "I didn't even _want_ him there..."

Holly eyed her in disbelief. "But he stayed with you? All _night_?"

Selina shook her head wilfully. "It's not what you think. It's not like that!"

Holly rocketed out of the chair, holding up her hands. She shook her head and began to laugh. Selina watched miserably as her friend pushed past her and began to pace the floor of the gallery.

"I've been sitting down here for hours trying to convince myself that what I'm thinking isn't true!"

Selina marched towards her friend and gripped her thin, spindly shoulders with a force the smaller girl hadn't been expecting. Selina held Holly to the spot and willed her to meet her gaze.

"It is not what you think. I got caught out last night Holly. I got caught by the Bat. When I got back, he was there waiting for me..." Selina didn't know exactly she planned to end this story or if it would even do any good, but words were tumbling from her lips without hesitation. "Before he caught me I was on my way to see you. I wanted to talk to you and tell you everything."

Holly looked away, crestfallen and hurt. She pulled out from under Selina's vice like grip.

"You've been lying to me all along. What the _hell _was he doing in your apartment? He was fresh from a murder scene! He had _murdered _that woman and you let him stay with you?"

Selina blushed remembering that she had let him do far more than that. As if Holly could read her expression, the younger girl huffed and stalked away. Selina watched her go to the store room, only to come out a few moments later with her bag and coat. Selina's heart sank.

"Holly...please _listen _to me!" she begged but Holly turned her shoulder to her coldly.

"I need some time Selina," Holly shook out her hair as she pulled her jacket over her shoulders. "I can't deal with this right now, it's too much."

Holly's voice broke and she began to cry. Selina's heart deflated like a popped balloon. She sagged back against the desk in agony. Her chest tightened as Holly began to walk towards the door of the shop.

"Please stay and hear me out," Selina begged one more time as Holly reached for the door. "I know you will understand. You just have to _listen _to me."

Holly paused at the door, her hand in mid air. She turned her face so that Selina could see her profile.

"I know you would make me understand Selina," she uttered miserably. "That's what good liars are best at...making you believe in them."

"Don't say that!" Selina gasped. "Your my best friend and I would never...I would never hurt you." Selina had been about to say that she would never put Holly in any danger but then realised she had failed miserably twice already on that score.

"I just need some time," Holly repeated. "I'll see you for now."

The door clattered shut and Selina let out a whoosh of air. Feeling suddenly cold and alone, she folded her arms across her chest. She wanted to scratch at the weakened, shrivelled organ that was supposed to be her heart. She had successfully pushed away the two people that she really cared about. Bruce was never going to speak to her again and Holly...well she was lost without Holly.

Hurt and cold, Selina pulled the shutters down on the large shop windows. She turned the sign over in the door that read 'Open' so that it was now saying 'Closed'. She double locked the door, setting the alarm before heading for the inner door up to her apartment. She side stepped the puddle of split milk on the carpet as she entered. She didn't stop until she had reached her unmade bed, the room cool and airy from the window still wide open. Blinking back hurt tears, Selina wrapped herself in the duvet and tried to keep her eyes closed.

Her mind was racing so much that she fell into a shattered and restless sleep. She woke up sweating, kicking back the sheets. She slept for what felt like minutes but when she awoke the night had crawled into the bedroom. Her throat was dry and weakly, she staggered to the kitchen, taking a clean glass from the draining board and gulping down the contents.

She felt strangely odd and out of sorts, her slumber not having helped matters at all. A headache was forming at her temples and she couldn't resist the urge to sink into the cushions of her sofa, turning on the television.

The news of Rene Falcone's murder was leaked on every channel. Selina flicked from station to station but it seemed that the media was alive with the story. Every channel she turned to she was either treated to footage of the Joker, images of the Bat or scenes from Gotham Memorial where Rene Falcone had been murdered. Feeling every inch a monster, Selina sank into a haze, letting the newscasters bulletins sink into her, filling her up until she felt washed out and drained.

Vaguely she heard her telephone ringing in the hallway, but she didn't have the strength to run for it. She didn't think she had the strength to speak to anyone. Glancing at the clock, she was startled to see that it was nearly eleven in the evening, but without eating, or without bothering to change, Selina crawled back to bed.

Her dreams were distorted and cloudy. She writhed and kicked out under the covers, waking herself several times. Every time it seemed that she fell into a deep sleep she heard someone speaking to her, a clear voice calling out to her. The telephone in the hall was ringing again and Selina opened her eyes to find the sun streaming in. The headache that had begun in the night had now turned into a migraine. Lifting her head off the pillow, her eyes began to swim and she slumped back down, a horrible sick feeling in her stomach.

With the morning came the realisation that Holly wouldn't be there downstairs waiting for her. She didn't dare think of what her friend had gone through, at how terrified she must have been of Jack. With the new day, she realised dully, that Bruce hadn't yet called. She wondered what time it was, what day it was even and how long it had been since she'd eaten.

Selina knew how long her body could survive without food. Her stomach was like a knot and she knew that if she forced down anything she was likely to be sick. In the hallway the telephone was ringing again but she ignored it. She closed her eyes and drifted off again. It seemed that the more sleep she had, the more exhausted she became. Her body had been battered and broken over the last few days and she could feel it beginning to heal as she rested.

The harsh shrill of the phone woke her, but she lay perfectly still, turning her head gently to the bedside clock. Her eyes widened. It was five in the afternoon. On wobbly legs she crawled out of the bed. She cleaned her teeth and washed her face, feeling too weak to get into the tub right now. She sat on her kitchen floor and picked at the remains of a fruit salad that she had made days ago.

What day was it? Selina blinked and hauled herself off the floor, switching on the television. The GCN channel flashed up before her aching eyes and she watched as a reporter stood outside Gotham Memorial.

"Well Gill," the reporter was talking back to the anchor woman in the studio. "Forensics have just confirmed that Rene Falcone was indeed murdered. She was found with her throat cut and with various lacerations all over her body. Police are sighting the Joker for this brutal killing. The hospital has CCTV footage of a man fitting his description exiting the building dressed in scrubs. It seems that once again Gotham is under the threat of this masked terrorist."

Selina's stomach flipped and she switched channels. The pain in her head intensified and she leaned back against the cushions of her sofa. Minutes turned into hours and she drifted back into consciousness to the sound of someone calling her name.

But it was the telephone again. On shaky legs she walked to the hallway and saw her answering machine blinking at her rapidly. She had only one message. Her heart lifted a little as she reached for the play button.

"Selina its Bruce," came his soft, warm voice. Selina's stomach clenched in anticipation. "I've been calling you for over a day. Alfred is coming to pick up the car...can you leave the keys somewhere? Thanks..."

The message clicked off and Selina's eyes welled up. Filled with a sudden fire she stormed into her kitchen and grabbed the keys from the bowl on the table. Pacing frantically into her bedroom she crawled through the window and landed with a bump on the fire escape stairs. Gritting her teeth angrily she threw the keys down into the alley, satisfied when they clanged against the side of the Mazda parked down below with a horrible scratching noise.

He'd phoned up for his car! Tears bubbled up in her throat and Selina crawled back through the window. She sat on the bed and wept, once again sleep called for her and she sank further and deeper into her own despair. The sound of a car starting up made her jump to attention. While she had slept, darkness had crept into the room, filling it with shadows. She raced to the window in time to see the Mazda speeding out of the alley, its headlights visible in the darkness. Selina swallowed and sank to her knees miserably.

It was suddenly, viciously clear that Bruce wanted nothing more to do with her. She had to pull herself together. She had been acting like a sullen teenager and she knew it. She stripped off her clothes and headed for the tub, gratefully soaping away the last day or two. Clean and dry she climbed into a nightgown and pulled her silk robe around her. Thankfully her head felt better and she ran a comb through her ratty locks, until they were smooth and golden once more.

In the bedroom it was dark; she could see her clock blinking at her. She reached out for her bedside lamp but a voice spoke from behind her.

"Don't," he said and Selina shrieked, her left arm coming up to defend herself as she was spun around. He caught her arm effortlessly and pinned it behind her back. Her breathing quickened as he pulled her back against him, her back colliding with the armoured casing of his suit. He was breathing on her neck and she shivered.

Her rational mind told her that this was it. He had come to take her to Gordon. But the other half of her was on fire, hope searing through her chest as he gently turned her back around to face him. Up close she could tell he was struggling too. His jaw was tightly clenched and he was breathing heavily through his nose. Selina stood on tip toe, falling forward and finding his mouth with her own in the dark. It took mere seconds for his resolve to weaken and she knew now that even he had forgotten why he was here.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, they tumbled backwards and Selina felt her bed give beneath their combined weight. The angular edges of his mask dug into her cheekbone as she kissed him harder and he wrestled it away from his face, breathless and panting, tearing his fingers through her damp hair. His mouth crushed against hers, her back arching off the bed in need to be closer. In her whole life she had never wanted anyone more than right now. The suit was hard and cold against her flesh, she could feel it through her robe and she longed to feel the warmth of his skin on hers.

It was Bruce who broke the connection and she stared up at him in the dark, disappointed and a little confused. He could barely breathe. He rolled off her and stood and Selina followed him with her eyes in the darkness of the room.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have done that," he whispered and she pulled her robe tighter around her. She was burning hot, her heart racing, wishing desperately that he would come back to her. She sat up on her knees on the mattress, brushing her tangled hair out of her face.

"I'm so glad you're here," her voice nearly broke. Two days alone in this place and she was a wreck and the sound of her own voice was a strange, lonely thing to hear. "I didn't want to leave things like that."

He looked oddly surreal standing there in his Kevlar suit, without the mask, half shrouded in the dark shapes of her room. A light sweat had broken across his forehead and he wiped it away, clutching the mask tightly under his arm.

"I'm here to give you another chance," he looked away and she felt her heart crush under the weight of her tightening chest. "Give him up Selina. Give him up and I'll get Gordon to forget the Cat ever existed."

Selina's eyes widened in disbelief. She suddenly felt utterly embarrassed at her admission. Her face flamed.

"I told you I can't do that Bruce," she stuttered. "He would never trust me even if I could bring him to you. I couldn't do it."

Bruce closed the gap between them; he gripped her hands tightly and pulled her nearer. Too near. Selina wanted very much to be kissing him now. She was drunk on her own loneliness and her depressive state had caused her to be weak and needy.

"But _you _could. If he put his faith in anyone it would be you. Don't you _see_ that?"

"But I couldn't do that to someone who trusted me!" she snapped back, suddenly alarmed at her stupid behaviour. She pulled away from him and forced herself to think clearly.

Bruce exhaled in frustration. "Selina...he murdered that woman in the hospital. He cut her into pieces."

"She wasn't a woman," Selina shot back. "She was a monster. She was a criminal!"

Bruce's eyebrows flew upwards in outrage. "And that makes that _alright?_"

Selina shook her head, realising that she was only serving to irritate him further and in the same breath, push him away.

"No, no it doesn't!" she back tracked frantically. "I know what you think of me. But do not put me in the same class as that woman. She did unspeakable things...things that...she did to me."

Bruce relented. She could see his shoulders sag slightly. He leaned against her wardrobe and folded his arms. For the next few minutes he listened in the dark, while she told him of the night Benito and Rene had tortured her in the warehouse by the East River. She told him of how Jack had come to be there, and in his own strange way, had saved her life. Selina hoped that by leaving nothing out he would trust her. She hoped that he would see why she couldn't give Jack up.

When she had finished, he was sitting by her side on the edge of the bed, holding her hand in his. Selina rested against his shoulder, her heart thudding, awaiting his reaction.

"Why didn't you tell me all of this before?" he asked gently and she shrugged limply.

"I was so angry at you," she admitted. "I just wanted to get out of your sight."

He held her hand a little tighter and she smiled sadly at him, staring at his stony profile. "I never wanted you out of my sight. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you."

They sat together in silence for a long time, listening to the other breathing in the dark. Finally Selina lifted her chin, letting her gaze fall upon him.

"You can't promise me that Gordon will go easy," she whispered and he met her tired eyes. "If there is one thing I'm good at Bruce, its disappearing. If you go to Gordon then you'll never see me again."

He shook his head. "So you won't give him up?"

Selina pressed her lips together. He _still _didn't understand. But then how could she expect him to? Even she didn't understand why she would protect Jack.

"No I won't," she whispered. "They can't help him where you want to put him Bruce. I won't be the one responsible for locking him away in a pit like Arkham. I couldn't live with myself."

He let go of her hand and she let it fall back into her own lap. In frustration he leaned his elbows on his knees and rubbed his temples.

"But you can live with yourself if he murders more innocent people?" he bit and Selina felt the sting of his temper rising once again. Her own rose in defence.

"What he has done as the Joker in the past or in the future has nothing to do with me, Bruce. Nothing! I wasn't even here when he committed those crimes," she hissed through gritted teeth. "And I won't be used as a weapon against him!"

He stood fluidly and the mattress sprung up from the loss of his weight. "Will you feel differently when it's you he targets next? When its someone you love that's gone? Because he will come for you sooner or later Selina. Don't kid yourself that he won't!"

Selina suddenly saw straight through the centre of his outburst. At the heart of it was the woman that he had only recently lost. One half of her, the half that still possessed a worthy, redeemable soul, felt for his loss. That half wanted to cave in and fold herself into him. That half wanted to be his companion and his equal, to share his laughter and pain and his bed. But the other half, the selfish, hardened part of her that learned long ago that in life you make tough choices no matter what the cost, had just realised that she was the rebound girl. And that part of her wanted to tell him to go dive off a building somewhere.

Selina stood, matching his stance. "If and when that time comes," she made her voice as cool and unfeeling as she could manage. "Then I'll kill him myself. Because that's the only way to help him, Bruce. By putting him out of his misery. And you haven't got the stomach for that. Otherwise you would have done what needed to be done, a long time ago."

She saw his jaw clench. She saw the light of hope go out of his eyes and the part of her that loved him wanted to run to him and fold her arms around him and beg for his forgiveness. After a while he looked away, defeated and beaten.

"Then that's the real difference between us," he said. "That's why I could never trust you."

Selina bit back hurt tears, telling herself that by letting him go it would be best. "Then why are you still here?"

She saw the pained, hurt expression cross his eyes. He turned and hooked his legs over the window sill, landing with a thud on the fire escape stair well. He looked over his broad shoulder at her, standing there with her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

"I'm not giving up on you that easily," he whispered and inside her heart relaxed and lifted. Forcing her face away, she kept a neutral expression as he left, his footsteps heavy on the metal stairs. When he was gone, she let out a breath and sat numbly on the edge of the bed. She clutched her torso with her arms, folding them around herself in an embrace.

For what seemed like the one hundredth time, tears escaped her throat. Her skin was raw and swollen from crying and she was sick to the stomach of feeling like a victim. But she still covered her eyes with her hands and wept, her shoulders trembling under the weight of her grief.

Please don't give up on me she thought, crying into her hands and realising that for the first time, she was utterly alone.


	32. Cold

Ok, first of all apologies. It has been too long! I do have a reasonable excuse, I swear. Firstly, I got promoted at work, which has been excellent, but has involved quite a bit of travelling. And second of all, I have been suffering with major writer's block. I know exactly where this tale is headed, just to reassure you, but I've written this chapter over and over, and nothing felt quite right. So here it is anyhow, at last. I hope you enjoy! Thank you, so much to those have reviewed and I'm sorry if I haven't replied. Please see a list of mentions at the bottom of this chapter. Your reviews mean the world to me and keep me on my toes. Once again I'm sorry and please let me know what you think!

LBG xxxx

**Cold**

Exhaustion pulled his eyelids closed and he turned in irritation under the covers, nestling into his wife's shoulder finding it warm and comforting. Barbra Gordon stirred beside him, blinking at his still form as the alarm bleeped at them from the clock on the bedside table.

"Jim really?" she croaked. "It's Saturday."

Now fully awake, the older man sat up wearily, flexing out his shoulders. "And I'm the Commissioner of Police."

As though that were an acceptable excuse, Barbra rolled her eyes knowing in her heart that there wasn't really much she could say on the subject. Her husband was the property of Gotham City these days. It seemed that Mayor Garcia had more knowledge on his whereabouts than she did. She did wonder when the benefits of being married to the Commissioner were going to come into play. So far it was late nights, missed breakfasts and constant dread. Not to mention that her whole family had been kidnapped and threatened by Harvey Dent not so long ago.

Barbara was also keenly aware that the recent brutal murders of Benito and Rene Falcone were pressing firmly on her husband's mind. She knew that he suspected that the Joker was behind it all and the mere thought of the clown sent sparks of anguish shooting through her heart. She couldn't bear to think of her husband having to come face to face with a man like that. She had also noticed that he seemed to be constantly lost in thought, as though something at his core was eating away at him and it was something more than his new role. When she asked him about it, he skirted around the subject, as evasive as ever.

They rose separately, which was becoming a usual occurrence. In the kitchen they didn't really speak. She placed a plate of toast on the table and smiled at him when he emerged from the bedroom dressed in his dark navy uniform. In the bright light of their sunny yellow kitchen, he looked grey. His eyes were a little heavy, a dullness in them she was not used to. Seeing that made her chest tighten a little.

Leaning across him, she kissed him on the forehead and he smiled up at her. He caught her warm hand in his before she walked away.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, his eyes meeting hers, a sorrow etched so deep within that she shook her head. He stroked the pad of his thumb across the back of her hand.

"Its fine...its fine. It's your job." She tried to hide behind the smile on her face but he saw the worry deep in her eyes.

"No it's not fine. It isn't!" he let go of her hand and slapped his palms face down on the table. "I'm missing everything."

"I understand. The kids understand. Jim...what you're doing, they know it's important."

The sound of the mail man opening their box only a yard outside their front door made them both jump suddenly. Barbara smiled and took her husband's drained coffee cup left in the sink from the night before. She rinsed it under the tap, watching as it filled with black swirling water. Distantly she wondered when he had started drinking black coffee, as behind her his chair scraped over the linoleum floor.

She felt his arms around her waist and threw a grin back at him, as he planted a kiss on her cheek.

"I'm only doing the morning," he promised. "I'll be back to spend the day with you and the kids."

Lightly she nodded, knowing that half a day usually extended into a four pm finish. And that had been going on even before his promotion. He took his jacket from the back of the chair and slung it over his shoulder, a movement that always reminded her of how young he used to be.

"You know we should really think about moving?" he said suddenly, looking around the dated little kitchen. It had been a brighter yellow when they'd first moved here just before James had been born and since then they hadn't had the funds to update it. He turned to Barbra and saw her face light up in a smile.

She beamed at him. "Really Jim?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Well the kids are going to want bigger rooms eventually. I'll need a study or something. Why not? I'm sure you'd like a bigger closet wouldn't you?"

His heart lifted at seeing her smiling. He waved lightly at her before reaching for the door handle.

"Oh get the mail Jim?" she called as his boots landed on the stone steps outside their narrow three bedroom home. They would definitely be moving soon. The place was so crammed and overlooked. He was sick of the sight of other people's laundry hanging from the balconies above. He unlatched the mail box and the lid clattered open. He pulled out a couple of envelopes that looked like bills. Thumbing through it he came across an envelope of a much finer quality.

It was black and smooth, his address printed in embossed gold writing on the front. Narrowing his eyes he wandered back into the hallway, where his wife was washing up the breakfast things by the sink.

"Honey look at this," he called to her not wanting to track his wet boots through the hallway. Drying her hands Barbara wandered over, peering over his shoulder as he tore open the envelope. Gordon pulled out a beautifully written, black and white invitation. On opening the card, both their eyes widened.

"You've got to be kidding me?" she squealed, swiping the card out of his hands and peering at it more closely. "Wayne Manor? I can't believe it."

Jim shoved his hands in his pockets. It seemed that the infamous Bruce Wayne was having a moving in party at his newly rebuilt home and the Commissioner and his wife had been invited. Gordon had only had one occasion to visit that place, but it was many years ago. A chill ran across his shoulder at the memory and he narrowed his eyes suddenly.

Barbara was reading the glamorous invitation aloud, as if is he hadn't read it properly the first time, but he wasn't really listening. Leaning lightly against the doorframe, memories were flooding back to him. That time of his life hadn't been a very happy one. Rene Falcone had managed to get herself out of a sticky situation courtesy of her family connections. Then he'd arrested the boy and taken him down the station to be questioned. That was the day he'd lost Marina, his young, very sweet junior officer.

Shaking off the cold feeling, he turned his attention back to his wife.

"Jim...the party is tomorrow night," she gasped. "That's a bit short notice. I don't have a_ thing_ to wear."

He reached around his back and pulled out his wallet. Taking out his credit card he pressed it into Barbara's hand and she gasped again.

"Can you get my suit out while you're at it?" he asked, chuckling as she threw her arms around his neck.

"A party at Wayne Manor," she marvelled. "And look Jim...he's sending a car for us!"

Jim smiled. "Well I guess he likes to spend money. It's a bit lavish though. I can easily take the Mondeo."

He laughed at his wife's reaction to that. He left her, knowing that by the time he arrived home, his suit would be pressed and clean and that she would have painted her finger and toe nails in preparation. Bracing himself against the cold, he jogged down the steps and shivered lightly before climbing into his own car.

The journey into the town centre was quicker and more fluid on a Saturday. He ignored the surprised looks he received from his nervous juniors as he wandered through the MCU. He didn't want to admit that having the new title had changed things. He expected the nervous glances and the half smiles, but what he hadn't expected was that doors that were formerly closed to him were now flung wide open.

As far as Jim Gordon was concerned he was doing his job. And recently two of the most high profile members of the Falcone mob had been murdered. He had had cause to come into contact with both on more than one occasion. It seemed that more or less every month, Benito had been pulled into the MCU for some misdemeanour. Either a high profile politician had gone missing or one of their witnesses had disappeared off the face of the earth. It was always something grim with the Falcone family.

And now more recently, it appeared that someone had been targeting the Falcone's.

On the occasions that Jim had interviewed Rene Falcone, he'd found her to be cruel and hard, her eyes leaving you feeling like you had icicles forming inside your gut. There had been nothing in her face that convinced him that she was capable of any warmth. Facing someone with such dead, soulless eyes made you wonder if they had a conscience at all. She reminded him of someone else he'd once had the displeasure of meeting.

The woman behind reception straightened up and pushed her coffee cup away from her, quick to hide her breakfast under some paperwork as he approached. She reddened knowing he'd caught her anyway and he smiled wanly at her.

"Morning Penny," he said and she cleared her throat, careful to swallow her mouthful of toast before answering.

"Good morning Commissioner," she smiled pleasantly, as if she hadn't known him personally for almost ten years. "How can I help you?"

He tapped his fingers on the top of the wrap around desk. Behind him the commotion and thrum of the MCU in the early morning was almost soothingly familiar. Saturday mornings normally saw the events cooling from the night before. Drunks sobering in the corridors, the cells full from brawls having occurred after the clubs and bars emptied. Gordon had to admit that he missed it.

"I was wondering if there was an office free I could use for an hour or so?" he asked, lowering his voice as a squad car pulled up outside the doors. Several officers piled in through the front door, nodding when they saw him standing there. "And also...I need access to a couple of files?"

Penny nodded up at him. "Falcone?" she guessed and he pressed his lips together in a thin line.

"Yes and another one, but it's pretty old. Look for Napier...Jack Napier," he averted his eyes as a couple of juniors passed behind him. He could feel their interested gaze rest on his back, their questioning glances. He could practically hear what they were thinking. Shouldn't he be down at City Hall sitting beside Mayor Garcia holding his hand?

"I'll bring it to you," Penny answered him. "Jones is on vacation, you can use his office. Coffee?"

He smiled at her. "Thanks."

"White two sugars?" she teased but furrowed her brow when he answered her back swiftly.

"Actually make it black."

Ten minutes later he held in his hands the very file that he had been thinking about for the past few days. It weighed nothing in his hands, but he still took a deep breath before opening it up and spreading out the folder. There as he expected was the little black and white photo of a boy with almost white blonde hair, playing on a swing set, smiling happily up at him. Jim closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. It had been nearly twenty years since he'd looked at this photo, but the memory of that day, of that moment was still fresh.

He could still smell the blood pooling on the floor of the cells below. It had taken many years before Jim had felt entirely comfortably going down into those cells alone. Not that he would have ever told any of his colleagues that. It wasn't the boy that he feared. It was her. Like a ghost, haunting him he was terrified of what he would find down there. For years, dreams of Marina had plagued him, until Barbara had forced him to see a therapist.

Gordon had sent her down there, to her death. And what a way to go. Marina had been sweet and pretty, and due to be married. Now all he remembered when anyone spoke her name was that awful vision of her staring wide eyed up at the ceiling with a pencil lodged deep in her skull. Forcing away the vision, Gordon poured over the file.

He didn't think it had been just the Joker who had been targeting the Falcones. The infamous Cat had been stealing from them long before the murders, leaving him to wonder if the Joker and the Cat were working together. There was something missing. Something that was drawing him back to this file. When Gordon had learned of Rene's brutal demise, he wondered why the Joker would target someone like her.

The link was Humberside. It had come to him the night before. While his wife had slept soundly, he had paced the floor, sweating lightly. Somehow, this was all connected to Humberside. Jim stared down at the picture of the boy, his eyes full of fun and laughter.

Gordon swallowed, remembering the meeting with the slightly older version of the boy in that picture, only now this young man was horrendously scarred. He recalled those strange, dead eyes staring back at him across the table, the way he drummed his fingertips on the desk. One. Two. Three. Gordon's eyes widened a little.

_Everything burns..._

"Oh God..." Gordon whispered. The truth was alarming and startling but all at once satisfying. He felt as though a curtain had been lifted and for once in his life he could see clearly.

One. Two. Three. Gordon's lips pulled back in a smile.

"I've got you," he whispered, though there was nobody around to hear him. The room was silent apart from the drumming of his fingers on the top of the desk.

/

Selina stood with her hands firmly on her slim hips in the middle of her apartment. Like her life the past few days, the interior of her plush little two bedroom home was a mess. Disgust mounted inside her and with what little strength she had left, Selina began to put it right.

Grabbing the broom from the cupboard in the kitchen she swept the floors, gathering up the dust into a neat little pile. She got down on her knees, strings of blonde hair in her eyes as she washed dirty footprints off her nice tiled floor. The smell of soap and disinfectant seemed to clear her head and for nearly three hours, she felt whole again and the sick, clawing feeling in her stomach had somehow dissipated.

Dismally she realised that she hadn't cleaned the apartment properly the night that she and Holly had patched up the Joker. From where he had propped himself up on her kitchen table, he'd left behind sticky bloodied hand prints, which somehow she'd missed. Her knees aching, she climbed to her feet and stared down at one of the prints on the edge of the table. She could make out how his long, deft fingers had curled around the underside of the table, as though he had been gripping it in pain.

Selina held her hand over the print, measuring up the size of her smaller hand against his. Closing her eyes momentarily she imagined the strength in his hands. They were hands that had held her, while she had cried over her fight with Bruce. They were hands that had murdered Rene Falcone. Selina shivered, remembering Holly's expression as she had described her encounter with him in the hallway. Giving herself a mental shake, she straightened her spine and snatched her hand away. Her tummy growled impatiently and Selina realised that she hadn't had a proper meal in days.

After a quick shower, she stared at her beaten reflection in her bathroom mirror. The bruise that had spread across the bridge of her nose was fading to a yellowy brown tinge and she prodded it carefully with layers of concealer. Dark shadows stretched from the bruise under her lower lashes and she reminded herself of a patient fresh out of cosmetic surgery. Selina knew she had been so lucky that Bruce hadn't broken her nose when he'd hit her.

Dressing hurriedly in dark indigo jeans and a white casual shirt, sleeves buttoned down to her wrists, Selina grabbed her pashmina and let herself out of the prison that she had been hauled up in for four days.

Her stomach lurched when she stepped into the swept clean interior of the gallery. Had she half expected to see Holly sitting at the desk? Dismally Selina eyed the answer machine and knew she had some serious catching up to do when she returned. Holly had done well to get the place back in order, but her sudden departure had left Selina almost paralysed.

Out in the fresh air, the cobbles still wet from light rain earlier that morning, Selina headed towards the store. Her thoughts returned to Holly and she wondered how her friend was doing. Holly had seen a side to Selina that she hadn't known about. But Selina had never lied to Holly; she had never denied who she was or what she had been through. The younger woman's adoration and friendship had softened her. It had torn down walls and made her weak. It had made her needy.

Back in the days when Selina had been Elliot's lover, he often remarked at how Selina had a steel rod instead of a spine. No matter how much he knocked her off balance, she remained upright. She remained strong. Holly had knocked her off balance and it had left her a quivering wreck.

Sickened at her weakness, Selina folded her arms as she walked, the breeze trailing through her loose curls. Selina had learned to trust. She had a friend that didn't want anything from her other than her companionship. And once Selina had accepted that into her life, she'd melted like ice-cream.

Everything that had happened to her since, her fight with Bruce, her torment over Jack, was because she'd let down her walls. Shaking her head she wondered, why couldn't she just be Selina again? Could she become again what she once was? A woman that had answered to nobody and took what she wanted. A woman without friends, without love and without compassion.

The bell above the door of the local store tinkled as she stepped through into the bustling interior. She linked her arm through the handle of a basket and began to fill it, her eyes bigger than her stomach. She hadn't realised how hungry she was. Absent minded she wandered the aisles, grabbing packets of things that she craved, until she slumped slightly under the weight of the basket dangling over her arm.

She didn't see Jonah step down off the ladder until she was standing directly in front of him, almost colliding with his broad chest. His eyes lit up when he realised who it was. Inwardly she groaned a little, her red smile cracking her face. She could feel his eyes studying her bruised face.

"Hey blondie," he grinned, giving her a heavy pat on the shoulder. "How are ya?"

The affection apparent in his voice was enough to lift her spirits, if only for a moment. She grinned sheepishly, knowing that he had noticed the dark smudge under her makeup.

"I'm good," she lied and he cocked a head, his thick brows knitting into a frown. He was dressed in his dusty store uniform, his greying hair tied back neatly. Selina began to feel uncomfortably hot under his scrutiny.

"Hmm," he mused. "I heard about your break in. I was worried."

"Oh...yeah," she forced a laugh, flicking back her hair casually. "Well it was a bit scary. But I'm Ok!"

"Looks like he took a swipe at you," Jonah narrowed his eyes in concern. Selina went red.

"Yes he did. But I shot him in the leg!"

Jonah laughed out loud, a booming noise that startled her and passing customers. "Clever girl!"

Selina found herself smiling up at him, despite her resolve. She shook her shoulders. "The place is a bit of a mess still and I have to hang some artwork today if I can. But I'm getting there. Hey...do you sell picture hooks in here by any chance?"

Jonah nodded towards the far left of the store. "Aisle twelve. I'll get 'em for you." He eyed the contents of her basket and pulled a disgusted face. "Marshmallows and pork chops? I don't know how you managed to stay that slim!"

Selina looked at her basket and felt ashamed of her random choices. She ate like a teenager sometimes, nutrition and diet the last thing on her mind. Her mind was being ruled by her sudden cravings. She smiled up at him.

"I survive," she assured him, making the move to edge past him. "Good seeing you Jonah."

She felt him watching her as she passed him. "Take care Selina," he called after her. She paused momentarily and turned her head briefly in his direction. Keeping her eyes low, she nodded, avoiding his gaze, not wanting to see the worry on his craggy face.

Later at the gallery, after making herself an unhealthy lunch, she poured herself a coffee and went back to the desk downstairs. Patiently she listened to the messages, taking notes and began to return the calls one by one. Her voice, low and throaty was always a winner when on the rare occasion she had to call clients. After hearing her heartfelt explanation of their recent break in and after assuring them that she was fine and not injured, she made promises to get their orders in as swiftly as possible.

Then Selina began to tackle the recent barrage of emails the gallery had received. She flexed her fingers and yawned, feeling irritable and tired. She clicked on the 'Sent' inbox to check what Holly had fired off before she had left that morning. Selina's eyes scanned down the page until she saw something that made her stomach knot.

Holly had sent out a 'Payment Due' email to Bruce Wayne. Selina shook her head. It felt like months ago that she had placed Bruce's extortionate order. Now, Selina wondered at how much of that was Bruce's bravado, almost buying up her entire stock just in a bid to impress her. She felt her heart sink.

"_I think I'm in love with you..."_

She forced a laugh. God, he must be regretting spending so much money on her. Although her heart was twisting in her chest, she pushed away the feelings of doubt and longing. She pushed away the urge to reach for the telephone and call him. Instead when she reached for the phone, she dialled her supplier in Italy and instructed that the entire Wayne order be sent straight to his home. The last thing she wanted was him coming back in here to collect it. Even though the order would still take a few weeks to arrive, the thought of having to see him made her quiver with anger.

She thumbed through more emails, trying to quell the sudden irritation that had come upon her. Bruce and his infuriating sense of morality. Bruce Wayne and his expensive suits and double life. How dare he suggest that he was better than her? That what he was doing was so honourable and good and that she was no better than a low life Falcone.

Selina slumped onto her elbows and rubbed her aching temples. But he was right wasn't he? That was what made her sick. She suddenly wanted to hate him, so much that her fist balled up and she slammed it down hard on the desk top, juddering her laptop.

Swallowing she straightened, knowing that she simply had to get past this. Bruce wanted her to give up the one thing she couldn't, and that was Jack. No matter what atrocities he'd committed, she wouldn't condemn him to a life in that squalid prison and Arkham was indeed no better than that. Batman or Bruce Wayne in his mission to rid the city of crime was demanding a price to high for her to pay. He was so blinded by grief for his own lost love that he would force her to give up the one person who _had _looked out for her.

Jack had saved her life once. Selina wasn't going to take his away. If he needed help then she would offer it. She believed that there was something of the boy left in him, the boy she had longed for and thought about for years after. Selina was convinced she could help him, if he ever asked for it. She had a feeling that he wouldn't and that the Joker wasn't quite done with Gotham City.

A rap on the door made her jump and she saw a male figure pressing against the glass, peering in under the shield of his hands. Selina frowned, wondering what Jonah was doing here as she slid out from behind the desk. When she opened the door, the blast of cool air felt refreshing against her face. She smiled up at him.

"Hey. What are you doing here?"

Jonah rummaged around in his jacket pocket and pulled out a packet of picture hooks. He dumped them in her open palm.

"You forget 'em," he grumbled. "You got outta there so fast it was like someone was chasing you!"

Selina shook her head in dismay. "Oh! I...I don't know where my head is today. I've been so busy answering emails that I forgot that I even needed them."

Jonah peered over her shoulder, his eyes sweeping the clean, sparkling space that was her business.

He let out a low whistle through his teeth. "I'll make you a deal blondie."

Selina eyed him, a grin slowly spreading across her face. "Uh huh?"

"You keep the coffee coming and I'll hang up all your art. I've got nothing better to do and my shift is over for the day. You look like you could use some company."

Selina stood aside, hands on hips and ignored his triumphant grin as he edged past her. She reached out and touched his upper arm, still solid from heavy labour under the thick jacket he wore.

"You don't have to worry about me," she assured him. He shrugged.

"Who said I was worried?" he joked and nudged her arm playfully. Selina rolled her eyes and walked to the store room. She poured the coffee from the tin into the funnel and replaced the filter. Jonah budged past her and slid out of his coat, throwing across a metal framed chair in the corner.

"You got a step ladder?" he asked and she nodded to the far right hand corner. The coffee pot was on the boil for the rest of the afternoon, as Selina made several trips from her desk back and forth to the store room.

Jonah remarked an hour into his visit that she needed to put the radio on. Smiling, Selina worked away at her computer while she listened to him sing badly to various tunes being broadcast. In a couple of hours he'd managed to hang ten different pieces. Then he set about mending some of the cabinets that had been damaged during the break in.

Having him there was somehow comforting, but Selina forced herself not to fall into that dependency trap. She didn't want to replace Holly with Jonah. But seeing him up and down that ladder brought back so many memories of Humberside that it made her heart hurt.

Selina wandered back into the store room to make him another cup, just as one of her favourite 'Journey' songs began to play on the radio. Despite her resolve she smiled, slopping the back liquid into the cup.

"Selina come and check these will you?" he called and she wandered in the direction of his voice. He was standing with his large arms folded across his chest, staring up at the various pieces on the facing wall. Selina beamed.

"That's great Jonah!" she exclaimed. "You've certainly saved me a job."

He rolled his eyes at her. "Give me a break Selina. How the hell were you going to get up there?"

She pulled an indignant face at him. "I would have managed!"

He laughed and stared down at her feet. "In those heels? You would have managed to break your neck!"

Selina punched his shoulder. "I think you'd be surprised at what I can do Jonah. I'm a lot stronger than I look."

"Hmm well you always were full of surprises," his voice was almost sad, lost in memory. She went to walk away but he caught her around the waist and twirled her around to the music. Selina giggled, a blush crossing her cheeks. He pulled her in for a hug and to her surprise she let him, resting her head against his chest, for the first time in days feeling warm and safe. She heard him chuckle and he danced with her in time to the music.

"I missed you all," he said gruffly, pulling back to look at her. "While I was gone."

Selina tried to force away the memory of the moment he had been taken away from them. Their Jonah. The strong, dependable one. The one who made the house breathe. He was the one who looked after them when they were sick or scolded them when they were bad. He was their father figure, no matter how young he might have been then.

Selina blinked back emotion. "I'm sorry. I wish you had never left us. It broke my heart, you know."

He pinched her chin playfully. "Aren't I a lucky guy? It's not every day a beautiful girl tells you that you broke her heart."

Selina pulled out of his arms, wiping her eyes. "You know what I mean."

He dusted off his uniform, clearing his throat. "I think there's one more and I'll be all done here."

Selina nodded to the storeroom. "Your coffee is on the side."

Ducking her head as she passed him, she wandered back into the main gallery, suddenly freezing in her tracks. There was a man in a large black coat standing by the desk. He hadn't appeared to have heard her footsteps and was busy staring up at the various pieces, tapping his umbrella on his knee absently.

Selina's stomach twisted as she edged closer. Finally the older man gazed up at her, his features smoothing into a cordial smile.

"Miss Kyle," he remained pleasant. "How are you?"

"Mr. Pennyworth...I wasn't expecting you," she stammered, heading for the safety of the chair behind her desk. He smiled ruefully.

"No I don't expect you were," he pulled an envelope out of his coat pocket and briefly gazed at it before tucking it under his arm.

The silence stretched between them and Selina felt her insides coil uncomfortably. When she met his gaze she realised that he was studying the almighty bruise across her nose.

"Have you tried Arnica for that?" he lifted his index finger to point gently at her face and Selina blushed. "It works marvellously on bruising."

Selina rolled her eyes at that remark. "Well I suppose you ought to be an expert," she joked and to her relief he chuckled. Selina was at a loss for words. The sight of him so soon had startled her and she wondered at what the older man must think of her right now. She squirmed uncomfortably in the seat under his watchful eyes until finally his expression softened. He appeared to have been in deep thought.

"Miss Kyle...I know how awkward this must be..."

"Please don't!" she lifted her hand, her own expression suddenly becoming hard like stone. "I just want to move on with my life...and forget that this all ever happened."

His mouth pressed into a thin line. "With all due respect Miss Kyle...until the Joker is caught and behind bars...that will be very difficult for both of you."

"I know Bruce is hurting...I know how he's grieving over her..." her voice trailed off. She lifted her chin and looked the older man squarely in the eyes. "I'm not heartless...I'm not the monster he thinks I am. But I can't...I can't give him what he wants."

Alfred looked about him, lifting his chin at the noise from the storeroom. Finally he threw his crinkly blue eyes back at her. "He doesn't think you're a monster, Miss Kyle."

Selina let an exasperated sigh escape through her teeth. "I'm sorry," she lifted her head wearily. "Why are you here exactly?"

Her curt tone seemed to knock him off balance and she instantly regretted it. But she didn't take it back, instead she held his steel gaze, injecting as much ice into it as she could manage.

Finally and with a look of regret, he passed her the brown envelope. "We received the notification of payment from your assistant."

Selina folded the envelope over in her hands. "Oh I see." Business is business after all. "That was very prompt. Thank you."

He nodded grimly as she continued. "I was just on the phone actually. I've arranged that the dealer deliver direct to Wayne Manor...so that shouldn't inconvenience you or Mr. Wayne any further."

His eyebrows lifted and he chuckled. "I don't think that Mr. Wayne sees coming here as an inconvenience...in fact he asked me to give this to you."

The old butler reached inside his coat and pulled out yet another envelope. This one though was glossy and black and on the front was her name, scrawled in embossed gold writing. Cocking her eyebrow she turned the smooth, silky envelope over in her hands, eager to tear it open but instead placed it on the desk in front of her.

"My master in a bid to uphold his public image is finally having a moving in party tomorrow night...and he would very much like you to be there," the older man explained, as Selina pretended not to be interested. "No demands, no bad feeling...he would just like to see you there."

Selina smiled curtly, taking the envelope and placing it in a draw. The draw slamming shut signified the end to the civility. "Well...I'll see what I can do at such short notice."

He tipped his head, seeming to get the message. It made her insides churn to watch him go, his shoulders slightly slumped. She hadn't wanted to be rude, to him of all people. She truly liked the older man. The door rattled shut and she watched as he climbed into the car parked outside.

"Who was that?" Jonah appeared alongside her desk. She watched his fingers tap the surface and came out of her daze.

"Uh...no one...a client," she avoided his eyes. Jonah whistled.

"Nice car," he admired. "Are you OK?"

Selina's eyes widened in surprise. "Hmm? I'm fine. Why?"

Jonah folded his arms, not buying her vague answer. "Oh I don't know...it just seemed that from the tone of your conversation...it just seemed a bit cold."

Selina shrugged and waited for him to go back to the store room before she slid open the desk draw, to gaze openly down at the fine envelope and its invitation waiting within. It was an invitation that she didn't know if she could refuse. Sighing, she knew Jonah was right. That was exactly what she was. She was cold.

/

In the warm interior of the Mercedes, Alfred waited for the car to pull away into the thrum of afternoon traffic before he took out his cell phone. Flipping it open he dialled his master direct, waiting for his gruff, impatient tone at the end of the line.

"Well?" he picked up on the first ring. The older man sighed.

"It's done," he replied.

"Did she seem willing?" Bruce probed. "Do you think she'll come?"

To that Alfred truly had no answer. The young woman was clearly hurt and bruised. She had cut him dead when he tried to explain his reasons for being here. Whatever confidence that she had once possessed appeared shattered. Her eyes had been emotionless and cool, sending shockwaves of malice across the desk at him.

"Honestly...I don't know," Alfred stretched out his legs and leaned back against the head rest. "She won't give him up Master Bruce."

There was a long gulf of silence between them, in which Alfred could picture his young master's fevered expression.

"Rachel is gone, Alfred," Bruce uttered finally, emotion thick in his voice. "I stood by and let him murder her. I _can _help Selina though. I'm not too late this time. She'll hate me, but in the end...she'll see."

But would she? The old man wanted to ask. Bruce was so blinded by fury and consumed with the need to avenge that he would never realise that the closer he became to people, the more people he would need to protect. The ideal of Batman and the image that was the playboy Bruce Wayne, was that he was a force for justice, out to help those who couldn't save themselves. Alfred worried that Bruce would always find someone that needed saving.

"The plans for the party are all underway," the older man said at last. "All the invites went out this morning."

"Gordon's too?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good," Bruce said. "And if Selina comes tomorrow night..."

"Then we can be certain that he won't be far behind. He wouldn't miss an opportunity to reintroduce himself at one of Bruce Wayne's infamous gatherings."

"That's the plan," Bruce cut off the line at his end, leaving his butler staring down at the cell phone in his old hands.

Alfred closed his eyes and hoped that this was all going to be worth it. He was certain though that despite his countless warnings, that Bruce hadn't counted on one thing. He hadn't counted on that maybe Miss Kyle didn't want to be saved.


	33. Our Mutual Friend

**Hi everyone. Thank you; thank you so much to all my lovely reviewers as usual. I'm so glad you liked the last chapter. This one is a bit of an epic. The next one I'm actually working on now and hope to have out to you either by the weekend or next week. I'm on a roll. The next will be the party chapter and I'm planning on it being a biggie. Hope you enjoy this and as always let me know your thoughts! Xxx**

**Our Mutual Friend**

Holly Truman peered around the door of her apartment. She let a sigh escape through her clenched teeth as she watched the paper boy disappear down the concrete steps, his wet sneakers slapping over the floor. He huffed as he pushed through the door, letting sheets of rainwater into the foyer of the building. Swallowing Holly stared down at the mat.

The front page of the Gotham Tribune stared up at her. To say that she had spent the last few days dreading the headlines was an understatement. Snatching the paper off the mat, she locked the door behind her, brushing back her tangled dark curls with her free hand. Catching a glimpse of herself in her hallway mirror, she winced. She didn't look like the same woman who'd come to Gotham all those months ago.

Her heart quickened as she dared to look at the front page, but it soon slowed to a normal pace. It was alright, nothing bad. She scolded herself mentally and asked herself what really had she been expecting? Wandering into her bright, sunny kitchen Holly made herself breakfast.

She had been expecting bad news. She had been expecting to see Selina's name in bold, another victim at the hands of the joker. Holly wrapped her hands around the steaming mug of coffee that she had poured. She was shuddered at the thought.

Then why aren't you beside her? A little voice bleated in her head. Why aren't you with her? You did what you promised you wouldn't. You left her.

Guilt coursed through her and perching on the stool, Holly reached for the phone, for what must have been the one hundredth time in the four days she'd been gone. But she let her hand fall.

Selina had never lied to her. Holly had always known that Selina would be trouble, that she had a dangerous edge. But Holly was a fixer. She'd seen the darkness in Selina's spirit when they'd met in Thailand. Holly had been a young bright eyed twenty year old backpacker.

Holly had been travelling alone and had ventured into one of the areas of Hat Yai that was strictly a no no for tourists. But Holly, bestowed with her endearing naivety and wide eyed enthusiasm had told herself that no harm would come to her. A man had cornered her outside a bar in downtown Hat Yai. He had hit her and dragged her behind the bar, where in the darkness he'd fumbled with his belt.

Terrified and frozen to the spot, Holly had tried to struggle. He hit her again, but harder and when she woke up on the dirt ground only moments later, she hadn't expected to see a very attractive, blonde fellow American standing over her. As the woman led her away, she had darted her eyes towards the attacker. He lay unconscious and motionless on the ground.

"He's not dead," the woman said coldly, walking slightly ahead of her. "But you're an idiot to think you can just walk into this part of town and not attract any attention."

At that Holly had balked. "Well..._you're _here aren't you?"

The woman's face had lifted in a momentary smile. But it faded as quickly as it came. It was many weeks before Holly saw her smile again at all. "Yes," she breathed nonchantly. "Yes I am."

Holly had grabbed the woman's arm before she could get away. She was still shaking, quiet little tremours inching up through her fingertips. The woman stared down at Holly's slim fingers encircling her wrist.

"I think you kind of saved my life," the younger girl marvelled, slightly dazed. At that the blonde woman shrugged.

"Not really. I'm sure he wouldn't have killed you after he had taken what he wanted. They don't usually." Then she pulled out of Holly's grip.

"Oh well...I just averted major trauma...Can I buy you dinner or something?"

The woman threw her a green eyed stare, her long thick lashes framing the perfect, almond shaped eyes. "How can you buy me dinner with no money?"

Holly stared at her, dismay written all over her face. "Huh?"

At that the blonde woman produced Holly's bright pink, sequined wallet. She held it up between her thumb and index finger for the brunette to see, and when she did her eyes went wide.

She made a snatch for the wallet but the blonde side stepped her so easily it was like water flowing.

"Are you kidding?" Holly panted after a few goes of trying to get her wallet back. "You're robbing me?"

The blonde cocked an eyebrow and rolled her eyes. She placed the wallet back in the girl's outstretched hand. "Nah. I was just practicing. Good aren't I?"

Holly shook her head, tucking her wallet safely in her backpack. "Yeah...whatever. Thanks."

"Oh don't get mad!" the blonde joked, although her face was completely dead pan. "I was just trying to educate you. Trust _no one_!"

Holly turned away and brushed past the taller woman. When she was back out on the main bustling street, she let her hand trail to her jaw. It felt sore and bruised. She tried wiggling it and nearly cried with pain. Her eyes began to water and she fought back tears. She wondered how far it would be to get a taxi back to her hotel. She wondered if she should go to the police, but she was a foreinger here. Would they even listen to her? It was becoming pitch black now and Holly was shaken. The streets were filling with tourists.

Suddenly the blonde was right in front of her. Holly cried out and took a step back.

"Look I'm sorry," the woman said, her voice sincere. "I'm Selina."

Holly studied her face. She held out her hand, relenting. "I'm Holly. Look I didn't mean to be rude...you did help me after all." They shook hands firmly.

Selina waved her hand in the air. "Its fine, I understand. Why don't we go get that dinner you suggested? You look like you need a drink."

Relaxing, Holly felt her face contort into a soft smile. "OK," she said hesitantly. "You know somewhere cheap?"

Selina snorted. "That's all I know around here," she walked several steps ahead of the younger girl. "Oh Holly...I'd check that hole in your backpack if I were you."

Holly stared at her wide-eyed. "There isn't a hole in my backpack!"

With a real grin, the pretty, devilish blonde held up the pink sequined wallet once again. "There is now."

Drifting out of her memory, Holly realised she was still sitting perched at her kitchen table, her hands still linked around the mug of coffee, now too cool to drink. Selina had told her the truth from the get go, it was Holly who had failed to see what she was capable of.

Selina was a tough, hard faced thief. She was also clever and had a wicked sense of humour. The two women had formed an unlikely friendship which had taken hold. Holly knew that she wanted to stick by her friend. Selina was exciting and was going places. Life with her was more of an adventure. But Holly had bargained for the Joker. She hadn't seen that coming.

But didn't she owe Selina the chance to explain? Wasn't there friendship worth that? Holly unfolded the paper, settling on the sofa, snuggling under a blanket and scanning over the Gotham daily gossip. It was in the gossip column that a bold headline caught her attention. It read in black print.

'**Millionaire to hold Moving in Party' **Holly read the article. It seemed that the entire list of Gotham's elite would be at the party. She wondered dismally if Selina would have been invited. Holly took a deep breath and got out of her body shaped dent on the sofa. Her slippers made a padding noise as she crept across the floor back into her open plan kitchenette. Swallowing she reached for the phone and dialled Selina's number.

Her heart began to drum loudly in her chest as she imagined Selina answering the phone in her own apartment. She thought of what she could possibly say. I was frightened, Holly wanted to tell her. I was scared that I was going to lose you. I was worried something would happen to me. And the Joker...it's like there is a whole part of you that I don't know about and that scared me too. I'm sorry I didn't let you explain.

With the little speech practised in her head, Holly waited as the line rang and ran at the other end. Impatiently she began to tap her fingers on the Formica worktop. It was the sudden rapping at her front door that made her drop the receiver. Frantically she replaced it in the cradle, her heart leaping into her throat.

Gingerly she stepped into her hallway, her feet like lead as she walked towards the front door. She stood on tip toe and peered through the peep hole. Outside was the misshapen face of a man with a grey cap on, wearing dark glasses.

"Who is it?" she called and the man lifted his head at the sound of her voice on the other side of the door.

"Uh, delivery for Miss Truman?" he called. Holly frowned.

"Who's the sender?" she asked, folding her arms, leaning her shoulder against the doorframe. She watched as the mail man scrambled around for a moment, looking at something in his hands.

Finally he lifted his head again. "A Miss Kyle? Listen lady I don't have all day. Will you accept the package or not?"

Holly relented, confusion crossing her face as she unlocked the door. The man stood, leaning impatiently against the frame. Holly smiled sheepishly at him. "Sorry," she apologised. The man whipped off his baseball cap, revealing a mane of dirty blonde hair. It was then that she looked up, her heart freezing in her chest.

Smiling, the man removed his glasses. His hooded blue eyes were terrifyingly bright and Holly instinctively took a step back inside her apartment. Her slipper caught on the hallway welcome mat and she tumbled backwards.

Elliot stepped inside her apartment, making sure to close the door softly behind him. He removed a knife from his jean pocket and Holly almost choked. She scrambled to her feet, kicking off her slippers. Within moments he was on her, grabbing a fistful of her hair and pulling her backwards so that she fell against him.

"Where'd you think you're going babe?" he sneered down at her. Holly winced as he tugged her in the direction of the sofa. He smelled of stale liquor and sweat and she almost gagged as she spun her round to face him, his breath hot on her face.

Tears stung her eyes as he thrust the knife so close to her eyes that she buckled and went limp, the light dancing off its metallic surface.

"What are you doing here?" she stammered. At if it were an answer, the tall, lithe man smacked his fist into her face so hard that the breath left her throat. She saw stars and fell back against the sofa cushions. When her vision cleared, she felt warmth trickling from her nose and wiped the blood away on her sleeve. Elliot knelt in front of her by her knees. He took her two wrists in his hands and began to bind them with cord.

He smiled up at her, not being as gentle as he could as he wrapped the thick cord around her slim wrists. He gave it a hard tug for good measure and Holly began to cry.

"Oh honey," he soothed, giving her a tap on the cheek. "You really should learn to choose your friends better."

"What do you want with me?" Holly spat out the blood that was pooling in the corners of her mouth, the coppery metal taste making her feel sick. He lifted his arched eyebrows in a suggestive manor and she recoiled.

"Well that depends on what you're offering...I was going to keep you as leverage but I have a lot of time to kill before I go to this party tonight."

Holly's eyes widened. "Bruce Wayne's party?"

Her stomach rose up and she almost tasted bile. Her heart began to race uncontrollably as panic seared through her. His cool blue gaze held hers and he watched fascinated as fat tears rolled out of her dark eyes.

"You're so cute...so nice. No wonder she liked you," he was saying more to himself. "You're going to be so sorry that you ever set eyes on her."

His voice was so low that it frightened Holly even more. He didn't need to raise his voice to intimidate; it was all there in the low, shallow tones of his Gotham accent. It was almost a little mad. She felt her hairs prick up.

"What are you going to do to Selina?" Holly whispered tearfully. "Why can't you leave her alone?"

He slapped her knees abruptly, before snorting with laughter and climbing to his feet. "Have you ever had an addiction babe?"

Holly blinked up at him, feeling the beginning of swelling in her eyelids. "What?"

"An _addiction?_" he leaned closer, a snarl on his face. "You know like _smoking_..._drugs_..._sex?_"

Holly pressed further back into the sofa cushions, startled and angry with his sudden change in tone. "Yes I _know _what an addiction is!"

He grinned, revealing stained teeth. Looking at him now, Holly had trouble understanding how Selina could have possibly fallen for a guy like this. But then, Holly told herself, he may have been a different man back then, not the twisted renegade he was now.

"Well then you should know...Selina is my addiction. She always has been. I can't get enough. But what she doesn't realise is...she can't get along without me either."

But you tossed her away like a broken toy! Holly wanted to scream, but in fear of angering him further she clamped her lips shut. You hurt her, beat and gouged at her soul till there was nothing left!

He began to pace in front of her, his heavy black boots muddying up her clean white rug. She noticed that he was lame; he dragged his left leg behind him slightly. He grimaced slightly when he stopped to look at her and she visibly saw pain in his eyes. He seemed to shake himself out of it, narrowing his eyes and glaring down at her, his pupils like two pin pricks in a sea of blue.

"What shall we do to kill the time?" he asked jovially and Holly shrank inwardly. "I've got the whole day before this party..._whateve_r shall we do?"

Breath caught in her throat as he leaned over her, his large thin hands on either side of the cushion she was resting on. Slowly he brought them to her face and Holly pulled away, hating the feel of his fingers sliding down her neck. He brought his face close to hers and Holly squeezed her eyes shut, feeling her breath quicken into short, desperate pants.

"If you want to scream...its ok," his voice was irritatingly pleasant and all the more terrifying. "Because honestly...that only makes it better for me."

/

Selina thrust her arm into her closet, yanking out the gown bag. Huffing pulled it free of her other various evening gowns and hauled it onto her bed. She ran her fingers across the plastic cover and found the zip, whipping it downwards, her eyes lighting up when she revealed the black and cream silk creation within.

She took the hanger and pulled it free, letting her eyes graze over the dress that had cost her two thousand dollars almost a year ago. It was hard to come across high neck gowns, especially ones that could hide her scarring, and this one from Venice had been Selina's greatest find.

The entire top section of the dress, from just under her bust right up to her neck was made from the finest black lace. The gown then cascaded down over her hips in a luxurious cream satin, hugging her narrow hips until it reached her knees where it was pinned with a handmade black rose and then splayed out in a fish tail around her feet. Underneath the hem were layers of black lace and it made a nice swishing noise when she moved. Selina usually wore a black wrap across her arms to cover her shoulders from sight.

Selina slumped back on the edge of her bed, leaning her elbows on her knees, massaging her temples. This wasn't a great idea. She stared at the beautiful creation out of its garment bag, dangling before her. God she needed to wear that! Selina realised dismally that she hadn't gone out or gotten dressed up since the night of Bruce Wayne's fundraiser in the city.

Slinking off the bed, Selina dressed hurriedly, knowing she had to get to the store for supplies and then spend the morning in the gallery finishing off some work. After Mr. Pennyworth's sudden and unexpected visit yesterday she had felt awful and sick of the way she had behaved towards him. He was such a kind man and had always been so nice to her. Selina promised herself that tonight, if she saw him, she would apologise.

Heavily laden down with groceries, the shopping bag practically tumbling out of her arms, she wrestled herself inside her apartment door only half an hour later. To her annoyance the phone was ringing in the kitchen. Trying to balance the paper bags on the hallway table she managed to unload them and dart into the kitchen, just as the phone rang off.

Rolling her eyes she began unpacking her shopping and then went back down to the gallery. Seated behind her desk once again, she flicked through some new photos that her supplier in Valencia had sent of his new work. She placed some orders, answered some calls and generally wore away the afternoon, trying to ignore the bubbles of apprehension that were building in her tummy.

Sunday was usually a very quiet day for the gallery and when it hit five o clock, Selina shut the shop, her stomach doing somersaults as she mounted the steps. Back in her apartment, she ran and bath and began to paint her short nails a deep, blood red while she waited for the tub to fill. Slipping into the suds, she thought of Holly and their getting ready rituals that they used to share. Selina's heart ached and she pushed the guilty thoughts away. Holly would call when she was ready, she told herself.

Pink cheeked and warm from her soak, Selina wrapped a towel around her torso and put her foot up on the edge of the tub to dry her feet, then began to paint her toes with the same red polish. Rubbing her hair dry she wandered back into her bedroom. Then a shriek literally tore from her throat.

He appeared genuinely taken back, his coat twirling around as he whipped his torso in her direction. With an unusual guilty look, an almost sheepish grin crossed over his jagged lips, the photo frame he'd been examining, holding up almost to his nose slipping out of his gloved fingers, the frame cracking as it hit her dresser and then fell to the carpet. Selina groaned. It was one of the only framed pictures she had of herself and Holly together. It had been taken the previous year when they were away in Italy.

Selina let out a sigh of exasperation and then relief, trudging across the carpet, her feet still damp and nudging him aside. She rolled her eyes at the cracked glass that had spilled out of the frame.

"Great thanks..." she muttered, bending to retrieve the glass, nicking her finger on one of the sharp edges. She winced, jumping up, making sure to keep her towel securely in place. He appeared annoyed that she'd caught him off guard, and he folded his arms across his broad chest.

"I thought you were out," he said and her eyes widened in shock.

"As if _that_ makes snooping around my apartment alright?" she scoffed. Wearily she met his eyes, realising that this was the first time she'd set eyes on him since the night she'd fought with Bruce. The awkwardness of their kiss came back to her and her cheeks flushed. She tightened her grip on the towel. "Why are you here? It's the middle of the day...shouldn't you be a little more careful?"

He cocked his head and smiled, unfolding his arms to splay them out wide. "You're concern is touching...it really is...but don't you fret. I'm a big boy."

Selina's cut began to sting and she sucked it, letting her eyes trail over his form. The suit he usually wore was a little dusty and he smelled rather acrid. His hair was almost flat to his scalp with grease and she had the sudden urge to shove him in the direction of the bathroom.

"Well _what _are you doing here?" she shot at him a little angrier this time. He had the decency to look offended. "I mean I seem to remember a little conversation a while back...you stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours?"

He smiled, his lips splitting to reveal his yellow teeth. "Ah yes...well that never quite worked out did it?"

Selina stood facing him, hands firmly on her hips. She felt panic begin to rise inside her throat. Didn't he get that it was dangerous to be here? She almost couldn't look him in the eye for the guilt of her confessions to Bruce. She held up her hands.

"You should go," she insisted. "Its only a matter of time...you know that they that already suspect that the Cat is working for you...and the cops were looking for you the night Elliot broke in here!"

He brushed past her, his shoulder bumping her accidently. He flopped onto her bed, wriggling up towards the headboard and stretched his arms behind his neck. Selina hovered over him.

"Re-_lax_...Gordon couldn't find his own arse with both hands," he took the book that he'd been reading the night of the break in and began thumbing through it idly, before tossing it aside. "And don't refer to yourself in the third person like that...it's _really_ irritating."

Selina shook her head but he continued. "I don't go around referring to myself as _the_ Joker...I am the Joker..._he is me_. Saying _the _Cat doesn't erase what you've done. You're not two separate people. You're one and the same."

"Fine..." Selina drew out a long breath between clenched teeth. "The cops think _we _are working together. And now they think I had something to do with Rene Falcone's murder!"

He sat up so quickly that she didn't have much of a chance to step back. He drew his brows into a deep frown so that the thin white paint stretched and cracked across his forehead.

"You didn't have much of a problem with the other night when you were crying on my shoulder," he dared her to come back with an excuse, a smirk playing on the corners of his mouth. Selina flushed to her roots.

"That was different...I was upset," she explained as though he would understand her reasoning. Instead he merely lifted one of his brows, shaking his head back and forth.

"I dunno know match girl...it seems you know how to play around with a guy's feelings..." When she opened her mouth to protest, but only indignant splutters came out, he cackled and lifted himself off the bed in one fluid motion. "I'm teasing of course. Don't you _know _me at all?"

"Not well enough obviously," she snapped back, folding her arms across her chest, feeling the breeze chill her bare skin. "Now that you've offered that fascinating insight into my personality...its time you were _leaving._"

He took a long stride in her direction and she dodged him. He didn't appear much interested in her, rather more with what was hanging up on the open door of her wardrobe. Selina's heart sank, realising that he was admiring her gown. His eyes darted up and down the sleek, curved bodice and he flicked his gaze back at her momentarily. He lifted his fingers out to touch the soft satin of the hem and she screeched, grappling his hand away with her own.

"Whoa!" he laughed at her reaction. She hurriedly tucked the dress inside the wardrobe and slammed the door shut. A little ashamed and red faced, she let go of his hand, which he allowed to fall back to his side. "Going somewhere nice? The playboy mansion perhaps?"

"A party," she answered primly and smiled sweetly. "Which I'm sure you know all about. Why else would you be here?"

"That's a bit harsh," he ignored her jibe. He opened the door of the wardrobe again and made a whistling sound through his teeth, his eyes roaming over the expensive garment held within, his tongue trailing a path over his bottom lip. "Perhaps I just wanted to see you?"

The honesty in his tone struck her still for a moment, and blindsided she couldn't think of an answer. Finally when he let the door fall closed, he leaned back against it and folded his arms, continuing his scrutiny of her face. Selina sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. She could feel the heat of his eyes on her skin and when she looked up sharply, it brought him out of his gaze.

"What are you staring at?" she asked, her voice dejected and tired. She glanced at the clock momentarily. If she didn't get rid of him soon, she'd end up being late. He unfolded his arms and pushed off of the wardrobe, tucking his thumbs into his pant pockets.

"Hmm...well _you_," he said slowly as if she were an eight year old child. "You know I always wondered what you were hiding under those roll necks and buttoned up shirts you used to insist on wearing."

The reality of his comment suddenly struck her cold and she stared up at him like a scared rabbit caught in car headlights. Revulsion welled up in her throat and her legs went to jelly. What had she been thinking? Her skin was bare to his eyes and she had never felt more exposed in all her life. He noticed the way her body literally went wooden and sensed the sudden muscle spasms in her calves. As she bolted for the bathroom door, he moved too fluidly to block her path. His gloved hands caught her naked shoulders and she struggled against him.

"Uh-Uh...there's no point in running for cover now blondie," he taunted, struggling as she shoved against his chest. "I've seen all there is to see..."

Selina's eyes welled up. "Jack please..."

"Just get _over _it!" he snapped, suddenly irritated. "There's nothing wrong with you."

Something about his tone made her flinch and for a moment she just stared up at him, shocked and unnerved. He reached out and gave one of her damp strands of hair a playful tug.

"You knew about my scarring," she said at last. He was still gripping her shoulders and she could feel the warmth of his fingertips pressing into her skin. She shivered slightly, the skin on her bare legs erupting in goose bumps.

"I always knew," he replied tightly. "Do you remember the first time we met?"  
Selina opened her mouth, surprised at his question. "Of course..." her voice trailed off. "The white room."

"No before that...but then I suppose we didn't really meet. More that I _saw _you," he reminded her, his tone gentle and distant. Selina fought back the clouds that shrouded her memory. She exhaled and smiled wryly.

"You were watching us from the window. Yes, I remember," she wanted to add that Mrs. Wayne visited that day and that was why the day seemed more memorable. Days when she came always seemed clearer in her head.

He tilted his head, glaring down at her with hooded eyes. "I was watching _you_. You just were different from the others. You were a bit lost...off in your own world. Like me."

Selina sighed, placing her hands over his forearms, her skin touching the exposed area where his jacket sleeves had scrunched up. He jerked at the sudden contact and dropped his hands to his sides, looking past her as she strolled by him into her bathroom. Glad that the steam had evaporated from the room, she pulled her silk robe from the hook on the back of the door, slipping into it easily. When she emerged moments later, he was perched on the end of her bed, cross legged, staring down at a bit of newspaper.

"What's that?" she darted past him, grabbing a comb from her dresser and began to trail it though her ratty, damp locks, brushing quickly until they were soft and tangle free.

His eyes flicked up and then back down to the article he was reading. He shrugged nonchantly.

"Just something I tore out of the paper this morning...have you ever heard of this woman...Vicki Vale?"

Selina, oblivious to his presence squirted some mouse into the palm of her hand and began to work it into her hair. She frowned. "Uh...she writes for the Gotham Gazette doesn't she?"

He unfolded his long legs and stretched them out, twirling his oversized feet. Selina almost giggled at the sight of his stripy patterned socks. He held out the paper and Selina took it, narrowing her eyes at the fine print. The headline read 'Millionaire to hold Moving in party'. Two or three articles under that one, was a tiny black and white photograph of the woman herself. She was blonde, angular faced and very pretty, wearing dense black framed glasses for the purposes of the newspaper shot. Under her photo in small print read words that Selina had to keep going over in her head before they made any sense.

"_Vicki Vale, reporter for the Gotham Gazette is rumoured to be going to the infamous Wayne Manor as more than just a reporter. She was spotted only last night, leaving Chez Gerard, with the handsome bachelor himself..."_

Selina's brows flew skyward. She took a breath, very aware of her tense jaw and then spread an even smile over her pink lips. When she looked up, she realised that he'd been watching her intently the entire time. She shot him a glare with as much venom as she could muster, almost daring him to speak. After a few moments of silence, he burst, rolling forward, his head almost touching his knees. Shaking with mirth, he sat up straight and slapped his knees jovially.

"Ah honey," he roared. "You really need to work on that poker face! I swear you look like your pet rabbit just died!"

Boiling, Selina screwed up the newspaper and threw the ball at him, watching angrily as it bounced off his midsection. Frustration welled over and she was suddenly taken with the urge to hit him, except she knew he'd just enjoy that, or the chance to physically overpower her. Selina turned away from him, desperate not to hear his laughter, the humiliation too much. She fought for control, knowing that she could probably easily knock him off guard if she chose to. But she didn't.

Finally she flung back at him, her eyes wild and enraged. "Is _that_ what you came here for? To lord that over me? You really are so self satisfied aren't you?"

She couldn't pretend that she wasn't hurt, because she was. And he knew it. When she was younger, Jonah and the other nurses used to comment on how she was a closed book, completely unreadable. Selina wondered when that had changed. Probably, she thought, the day she met Bruce Wayne.

The Joker clicked his tongue. "I'm rarely satisfied Selina. I just thought you'd be interested to know that's all. Out with the old...in with the new. After that little display I witnessed that night in the front of his car...I have to say that I was _hurt _for you!"

Selina picked up one of her discarded shoes and flung it at him. Her teeth gritted, she watched as he caught it fluidly without even moving from the bed. This only enraged her more and she began to cry tears of frustration.

She couldn't bear to see the triumph in his eyes, the chuckling noise he made as he moved from the bed to where she stood. Her head down, she didn't see him until she was staring at his shoes. He caught her off guard, gripping her shoulders with cruel strength. When she dared to face him, his own jaw was tense and she could see the veins across his temples protruding under the white makeup.

"Don't be a fool Selina," he whispered. "You're better than one of his hired girls."

"I don't know why you're here," she shook her head weakly. "Do you want to break me? Is that it?"

He sniffed, almost smiling. "Selina...if that sleaze you were with all those years didn't break you...what chance have I got? Even if I wanted to, that is."

She blinked, hating the fact that he was watching her cry. Again. "Then what?"

He smiled down at her then, a true smile and it knocked her a little off guard. For one brief second she was reminded of the young man she'd known, the way his face creased, it was disarmingly charming and a little boyish. Warmth spread up her neck and flushed her cheeks.

"C'mon! You came back here for a reason didn't you? I'm sure it wasn't to pine away for Bruce Wayne. What happened to the girl that I ran into at that fundraiser?" He raised his brows. "The one who _literally_ knocked me off my feet?"

Selina grinned wryly and sniffed. "Oh, you remember that huh?"

He cackled. "_Sure_. It's not often a woman has me on my back you know. That's a girl I'd like to party with. And a party is just what I feel like right now."

Selina's eye rounded to wide circles. She felt her stomach hit the floor. "Oh God..." she whispered. "You're not thinking of _going _are you? You can't!"

"Why not?"

"Because you'll be caught...you can't..." she was spluttering her protests and it only made his shoulders quiver with laughter. "You'll be recognised..."

He let her shoulders go and stepped back, eyeing her as though she'd just grown another head.

"Well I wasn't planning on going dressed like this!" he exclaimed. "I was going to...you know...blend in?"

At that she actually laughed, her face stretching into a real smile. At the sight of it, he smiled back, obviously encouraged. Selina was keenly aware what affect her winning smile had on the opposite sex, and it appeared that he was not immune.

"Blend in?" she repeated and held up her hands. "Look...it's too dangerous and if you go...if you hurt anyone..."

"I wasn't planning a massacre."

"Well that would be a first!" she shot back.

"I'm not always out for a kill you know...sometimes...I just want to dance."

Selina covered her face, trying to hide the fact that she was actually laughing. She pressed her hands over her lips. He folded his arms behind his back, looking innocently skyward. "You find that hard to believe?" he asked.

Seriously, she removed her hands. "I believe that you like to put on a show. And that Bruce Wayne's party would be the perfect venue. Jack...the place will be surrounded by police. Gordon will be there. You can't go."

"You like to dance match girl?" he teased, coming close enough to wrap his arm about her waist. He caught her and pulled her into his body, whirling her around as though she weighed nothing. She struggled but gave up quickly. He took her free hand and spun her around her carpeted bedroom, his coat flapping about his legs as they moved. She placed her hands on his chest and stared up at him imploringly.

"Don't do this," she urged quietly. "You're walking into a lion's den."

He grinned feverishly. "That's the best place to be," he lowered his head, his lips grazing her cheek as he leaned to whisper in her ear. "It's the place they never look."

He let her go and she felt the loss of his body heat almost instantly. He made the move to leave by the fire exit stairs, tugging the window up by its heavy wooden frame. Selina shook her head in dismay. "Hold on," she called defeated.

He poked his green head back through the window, watching intently as she made a dash to the bathroom. When she returned, he'd hooked his feet back through and was sitting perched on the window ledge, his wiry legs dangling mid air. The corners of her mouth tugging into a reluctant smile, he frowned as she handed him a box. He read the writing on the box and threw her a horrified look.

"Tooth whiting kit?" he balked. "What are you trying to tell me?"

He had the decency to look a little mortified as she handed him a brand new vacuum packed toothbrush. Selina patted his shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. "Take a hint," she said sweetly. "If you want to blend in with Gotham's elite then you need a set of teeth even Bruce Wayne would be proud of."

He made a grudging noise in the back of his throat. "Well if you say so..."

"I say that you shouldn't even be coming," she interjected coolly. "And if you lay a hand on anyone then I'll be there to stop you," she injected as much ice into her glare as she could manage. "_Anyone_. And that includes..."

"The guy who traded you in for twenty three year old bleach blonde? Yeah I got it!" he shot back, satisfied with the sharp look of regret that passed over her features. That had stung her and he'd meant it to. "Jeez you must be a lousy second date match girl."

Selina's patience with his shifting mood finally broke. She placed her two strong hands firmly on his chest and gave him a hard shove. His eyes widened in surprise, losing the balance of his upper body, falling out of the window backwards. She smiled smugly as he landed on his back on the metal stairwell, the structure wobbling under his weight. She heard him utter a little "Oww," as he landed and it only made her chuckle. She pulled the window down hard before he could get back on his feet, and pulled the curtains closed. Through the material she watched as he got up, grumbling and rubbing the back of his head. After a moment he was gone, his shadow disappearing down the stairs. Seconds later a car started up in the alley below and Selina pulled back the curtain to watch it leave.

Moving back into the room, she saw the scrunched up bit of paper lying in the folds of her duvet. She snatched it up and ripped into shreds, her anger boiling over, thankful that she didn't have an audience now. She felt sure that it was just Bruce's way of putting his face around in the papers, after all only she knew the image that he had to uphold. But still, she had hoped not to feel this way, she hadn't bargained on feeling this disappointed. And it hurt far more than she liked. Her heart pinched in her chest and it wasn't a good feeling.

Seeing him with someone else, the picture only taken a night ago was stinging. She remembered the way he'd kissed her and she craved that again far more than she wanted to admit. If he had done this to get to her then she had to applaud him, because it had worked. She had never been so physically attracted to a man in her life; feeling electrically charged just being near him.

Jack was right though. Maybe she was just one of his hired girls? And why had she really come back to Gotham? Not to feel like this, that was for sure. She groaned inwardly, tumbling backwards on her bed and throwing her arms across her eyes. She would be on a knife edge all night waiting for Jack to make his appearance. Just being around him was exhausting, and yet somehow very natural. She remembered a time where she had craved his company more than anything in the world.

She flipped onto her stomach, weary and sick with worry. She couldn't make up her mind if she was more worried that Jack was going to draw attention to her or that he may get caught and carted back to Arkham. Like pair of hands were squeezing her heart, she got up anxiously rubbing the cavity of her breast bone and wandered to the wardrobe, flinging back the door to admire the gown within.

It was always going to happen, she told herself, running her hand up the silky bodice. This moment was always going to come, when she would have to choose her side. Batman or the Joker? Selina sniffed back laughter, shaking her blonde head. Out of the two, only one of them had ever made her laugh.

/

They were practically out of the door. Gordon stood in the doorway of his modest home, the rain coming down in steady sheets from above. The pavement was slick and shiny, the brightness of the full moon bouncing off the steps, casting a shine over his buffed shoes.

There was a silver Lincoln sitting in the road, its engine humming softly. Gordon waited awkwardly on the steps, avoiding the impatient glances he kept receiving from the young uniformed driver. He smiled grimly as the young man looked up once more from his blackberry phone. Gordon huffed and went back into his hallway.

"Barbara!" he called up the stairs. "This guy has been sitting here half an hour!"

He heard his wife mumble something from the room to the left of the landing, their bedroom, which she had been hauled up in since four o clock this afternoon. Gordon had tried to relax. It wasn't often that they were without children, going for a grown up and rather fancy night out. But the file he had been looking at yesterday was still on his mind and he felt sick with tension.

Something felt awfully wrong. He leaned against the staircase and folded his arms.

"Barbara?" he called, more softly this time.

"I'm here...I'm ready," came the breathless pant, followed by the sharp clip clop of her new high heels. Gordon lifted his eyes, a pleased expression there as he regarded his wife from top to toe. She had returned from the stores yesterday afternoon, very smug and armed with designer carrier bags.

Nervously she stopped half way down the stairs. "Well?" she asked shyly. She was wearing violet, a perfect colour with her auburn hair that had been softly weaved into a chignon. Her dress was slim fitting but modest, the bodice a mass of pretty twinkling lilac crystals. It fell to her satin, pointed toe shoes in waves of chiffon.

"You're lovely," he breathed, taking her hand and leading her the rest of the way down the stairs. "Look at us...it's like prom night again!"

She gave him a kiss and fixed his tie. "With a few more wrinkles!" she chided.

"Their laughter lines," he smiled thinly. "I'm a funny guy."

"Don't forget your jacket...and your umbrella Jim," she reminded him, retrieving her wrap from the coat hook in the hall. She let it drape around her shoulders. Jim shrugged into his massive overcoat, holding out an umbrella over his wife as they made a quick dash for the car.

The driver smiled wanly at them from the front seat. "Mr. Wayne said to tell you to help yourselves to the champagne in the bucket Commissioner."

Jim Gordon nodded, smiling at his wife's expression as she examined the cut glass crystal champagne flutes that the millionaire had had placed in the back of the car. She popped the cork and let the fluid slop into the glasses as they began to travel along at speed. There was a slightly unsettling feeling about being around this much wealth, he wasn't used to it and was sure that he would never accept it. It was at that point that Gordon's work phone buzzed loudly in his top pocket.

Barbara glared at him and he sunk under the weight of her expression. It continued to buzz and she groaned. "Jim...you brought your work phone?"

He slipped the phone out. "It's just a text," he assured her, taking a quick glance at the screen. She rolled her eyes and sipped her champagne. If she was annoyed, at that moment Jim Gordon failed to notice, because all at once all the hairs had stood up on the back of his neck.

_Watch your back tonight. Our mutual friend may make an appearance. Bring your friends._

His stomach muscles tightened and suddenly his chest felt too tight to breath. He scooted across the leather seat so that he could whisper to the driver.

"I need you to pull over for a moment," he said in such a tone that the young man merely nodded and pulled the Lincoln safely to the side of the road in the middle of Gotham's financial district.

"Jim what is it?" Barbara asked, her eyes wide and alarmed as her husband climbed out of the car, ignoring the pelting rain and the cold air that rushed into the interior of the car. He held out his hand and smiled, giving her shoulder a squeeze.

"It's fine," he promised. "Just sit here and drink more champagne."

She started to say something as he got out of the car, but her words were cut off by the door closing firmly, he was too busy dialling the station. When he heard Penny's voice he breathed a sigh of relief. He heard the surprise in her voice when he finally spoke.

"Penny I need you to send as many officers you can out to Wayne Manor...no, not in uniform. I need cars stationed at every exit around the perimeter of that place. No one goes in or out without us knowing about it. As fast as you can get there!" he said calmly and placidly. "I have it in good authority that the Joker is targeting this party. Absolutely no uniforms you understand? We don't want to create any attention...if anything they should look like party guests!"

When he snapped the phone shut, he walked briskly back to the car, where inside his wife was staring at him wide eyed and open mouthed as he slid back into the seat.

"Jim..." she shook her head. "What the hell is going on?"

He took his glass, still full of bubbling liquid and necked it, wiping his chin quickly. He gave her a wink and patted her knee.

"Absolutely nothing," he lied calmly, avoiding her eyes. "Except that my glass is empty."

Barbara wasn't a fool. She knew when her husband was lying to her. She took the bottle from the ice bucket, careful to hold it with a towel as she poured him another glass. Keeping his eyes forward he sipped at it casually.

Throwing her a jovial smile he laughed. "This is going to be one hell of a party," he joked grimly.


	34. Princes and Demons

**Hello everyone. Sorry once again for the long absence. This is a biggie; I'm pre warning you, so go and make a cup of tea first or something. I hope that you are all still enjoying this story and to my reviewers and to a few new ones, who've come along recently, thank you so much! Thanks especially to Endings matter most, Hoist the colours, the freelancer seal, vibra, yamira 1616, precious Raymond, nhann2406, platinim 13, olivia and loads more! This story is coming to an end. I have loved every second of it but the time has come to call it a day. But don't you worry; I'm not doing a fast wrap up. There will be a few big chapters to come, to bring it full circle. **

**Thanks again guys, sorry to anyone I've missed out mentioning. As always leave me your thoughts.**

**LBG xx**

**Princes and Demons**

Cars, sleek and spattered with the evening rain, snaked up the long gravel drive one by one. Bruce watched from his window on the galleried landing, an empty martini glass firmly implanted in his right hand. From here he had watched them arrive, one socialite after the other, regarding the marvel on their faces as their taxis or chauffer driven cars pulled up outside the large oak front door.

The long expanse of driveway sloped back down, lit by flaming torches the whole way until it disappeared into a thicket of trees that then emptied out back onto the main road. Bruce knew that the approach to Wayne Manor was an impressive and intimidating sight. The building was so hidden and secluded but then it was suddenly there, its stone walls cutting a vast shape against the blue black sky, its hundreds of windows looming down at his visitors like enquiring, burning eyes.

Bruce stiffened upon hearing footsteps softly treading across the carpet towards him, and straightening his back he turned, prepared to throw on his most charming facade but breathed easy when he saw his old butler heading towards him with a tray.

The older, grey haired man stopped a foot in front of him and nodded to the tray of martinis that he was serving.

"Another sir?" he asked and Bruce shook his head.

"I'll have one to carry though," he added, reaching and taking the slim crystal stem between his finger tips. "Is the commissioner here yet?"

Alfred pressed his lips together. "The driver texted to say they had been delayed leaving...I'm sure they'll be here soon."

Bruce lightly tapped his left breast pocket, feeling the slim cell phone concealed within. It was a secure phone and completely untraceable. Bruce lifted his eyes and noticed his old friend watching him carefully. "I suppose it's time for Bruce Wayne to make an appearance?" he joked, and then his brows drew together. "Is she...?"

"Not yet sir," Alfred answered carefully. Bruce had been edgy and irritable for days. He didn't like what this decision had done to his young master. The softness had gone out of his eyes and he had been cold and distant, his mind consumed elsewhere. Bruce huffed loudly and raked a hand through his immaculate hair.

"She isn't going to come," he exhaled, despair creasing his face. "This would have all been for nothing."

"Take a moment Master Bruce," Alfred patted his shoulder encouragingly. "The night isn't over yet!"

Bruce rubbed his eyes, as if to erase the evidence of his lack of rest. "She'll never understand."

Alfred smiled sadly. "I think you need to give your Miss Kyle a bit more credit than that Sir," he chuckled softly. "She's kept your secret after all?"

A little more settled, Bruce nodded stiffly. Swallowing he peered in the hallway mirror, smoothing out any loose strands of hair. He could already hear the sounds of over a hundred people gathered in the great ballroom. It was a massive oak panelled oval room that jutted out of the back of the house. It had been an addition in the new build, his mother and father never having been one for extravagant gatherings. But with the new addition came some added benefits. The room was situated directly above the lower foundations of the building. Located behind many statues and bookcases were various exits to the room below, in fact the entire stage area lifted up to reveal a tunnel directly to where his tumbler was parked.

"Uh Sir...?" Alfred took his shoulder firmly, just as Bruce was about to make for the top of the stairs. "Miss Vale arrived ten minutes ago and has been asking after you?"

A look of pure embarrassment streaked across Bruce's face, along with a garish red blush. He had the decency to look a little sheepish as his old butler narrowed his eyes at him. Alfred wasn't one to criticise his young master, but even he knew that getting his face in the papers alongside the well known and flirtatious Gazette columnist hadn't been his finest hour. Alfred was almost certain that Selina must have seen it, along with everyone else in Gotham City.

"Really Sir..._what _were you thinking?" he pursed his lips and Bruce lifted his broad shoulders in a helpless shrug.

"I was meeting Lucious for dinner and she was there...and then she wouldn't leave!" Bruce spluttered, unused to having to explain himself to his aid. "She knew about the party and spent most of the evening fishing for an invite. I couldn't have done anything else."

"Well maybe in future you can take Mr. Fox to the local burger restaurant rather than well known hang outs for Gotham reporters, hmm?" Alfred scolded lightly. "I'm sure he won't mind."

At that Bruce smiled. "Oh I don't know...he's become rather high maintenance. Not unlike you."

His glebe comment bounced off the older man easily, he reached for his shoulder and squeezed it before taking to the steps. Bruce inhaled sharply through his nose, his stomach knotting slightly with apprehension of the evening to come. Throwing on a carefree smile, he sauntered into the ballroom, smiling jovially as heads turned in his direction.

He detested this facade. He had come to hate Bruce Wayne and all that he meant to Gotham. The pain that they would never know what he had done for them, what he had sacrificed for their safety sometimes made him want to remain forever in his cave, reclusive and depressed. But for now he had a job to do and when he spied the tall and very attractive blonde reporter hovering by the water fountain, he made his way towards her, fixing a smile on his face that belonged to another man.

/

Swiping a glass from one of the catering staff as they passed hurriedly, armed with silver serving trays, he necked the bubbly liquid greedily, wiping his chin with his sleeve. His large round eyes swept across the massive oak panelled room and finding a marble table he set the glass down a little too heavy handed. The stem cracked a broke into two pieces. A woman in a long dark blue gown eyed him cautiously, having heard the glass crack behind her. She raked her eyes suspiciously over the strange guest.

He grinned at her and held up the broken martini glass. "Opps!" he giggled, his eyebrows flying skyward. "Hope it wasn't one of a set."

A little unnerved the woman's lips moved as if attempting to smile. Instead when it didn't quite happen, she looked away and began addressing the circle of friends that she was standing with.

He kept his gaze on her, the heat of his eyes burning into the back of her red piled up hair, until she was compelled to dart her eyes back in his direction. He pinned her with his stare, hard and unblinking and finally she moved across the room, finding another small circle of guests. She didn't look back at him again.

Satisfied with himself, he sauntered away from the doors, marvelling at the sight of a massive, carved marble fountain. The room was filled to the brim with the wealthiest socialites of Gotham. On route to the fountain he spotted a number of well known faces, politicians and senators, film stars and newspaper journalists.

There was a young woman with long blonde hair, hovering nervously nearby. She stood with her arms folded lightly across her chest, perched on the edge of the fountain, one heeled shoe swinging out in front of her. The Joker's eyes swept her up and down a few times and he licked his dry lips, sliding onto the lip of the fountain. His stretched out his long, thin legs, crossing them at the ankles. She was wearing a black metallic dress that plunged into a deep V at the front, revealing her modest cleavage. Her long, shapely legs were bare and her feet rammed into a pair of spiked heels.

The Joker marvelled at her height and at her balance in shoes like that. After a few moments, she twitched her head in his direction. He wasn't bothering to hide the fact that he was openly admiring her form and her mouth formed an O of surprise. She shifted her position awkwardly. The din of the room was suddenly broken by the band that had started up on the staging area.

"Waiting for someone huh?" he asked, fixing her with a charming smile. The woman stared at him, analysing the smile and after a moment her face softened and relaxed. To the observer he would have looked like any other Gotham socialite. His tuxedo, although open at the collar with the tie draped around his neck rather than fastened, was pressed and neat. His hair, a dull blond was clean and fine, tufts sticking out of his head messily rather than gelled into place.

And although the woman suspected that he must have been in a terrible accident a long time ago, due to his facial injuries, his smile was utterly charming, taking over the expanse of his craggy face, stretching up to indent his cheeks and wrinkle around his eyes. His eyes although very sharp and round, were heavily lidded and had a lazy, almost sleepy quality to them.

Finally she answered. "Uh kind of. I'm here with Bruce Wayne."

"Are you _now_?" he chuckled, a deep and throaty laugh that made her shiver involuntarily. "Say...don't I _know _you?"

The woman blushed under his scrutiny, a little pleased that he had recognised her. "Maybe...I write for the Gotham Gazette? I'm Vicki Vale."

He slid closer, his arms that had been tightly folded opening out. He took her slim hand in his large, calloused one and shook it vigoursly, her dark purple painted nails grazing his palm. "I thought I recognised you. I never forget a pretty face."

She laughed, a pretty bell like noise coming out of her pink, cupid bow shaped lips. "Thank you."

"So where is the dashing billionaire anyways?" he drawled casually, leaning close enough to bump her shoulder with his. "Hard to believe he'd leave a girl like you hanging around on her own at a party."

At that comment the younger woman's eyes clouded slightly. Her eyes scanned the room, suddenly tired and a little lonely. Only a man as astute as the Joker could read the inner questions suddenly flying into her head. "Oh...I'm sure he's here somewhere."

The Joker shook his head, tilting his eyes at her in sympathy. He never usually let people get this close to him without his makeup on, but tonight he felt on fire. He kept his large eyes on her small, heavily made up blue ones. With his makeup he felt he exuded confidence, but without it and dressed in this suit, he felt about himself something that he didn't ordinary care too much about. Tonight, he actually felt attractive.

"That's the thing about Bruce," the Joker tutted in sympathy. "He's never content with what he has...look at this place for instance. It's grand and _ostentatious,_ practically dripping with money...and he has you all alone and waiting for him in a corner. He really doesn't know how lucky he is."

The young woman's eyes rounded eagerly. "You know him? I mean _personally_?"

The Joker cackled and slapped his knee. "Hell _yeah._..we're old college buddies. We go wa_yyy _back."

Vicki Vale straightened instantly and began fumbling around in her purse and took out a small note book. "Do you mind if I ask you a few things? It's kind of why I'm here."

The Joker grinned deliciously at her and she blushed crimson under his gaze. "Why sure. What do you want to know?"

The blond moved closer to him, her upper leg practically pressed up against his thigh. The sudden contact made him jerk involuntarily, but he covered it with a hearty laugh. He wrapped an arm about her and she settled in next to him. "Oh...anything juicy. College day stories are the best!"

"Hmm," he let his eyes drift skyward as if deep in thought. "Well you know he likes to drink...I mean _really _drink...?"

Vicki laughed. As if everyone in Gotham didn't know that. He threw them all out of his house a few years ago in a drunken stupor and then proceeded to set fire to it. "Well I think we're all familiar with that."

The Joker folded his arms and lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Yeah, but the _drinking games_ he used to make us play...let's just say that he _always _made sure someone ended up naked!"

The younger woman's eyes rounded into saucers. "R-Really?"

The Joker gobbled up her rapt attention. "Um hmm. And then there were the flings...and not just with students." He chuckled, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively and the younger woman began to scribble down notes furiously.

She pushed back her loose blond hair, staring up at him intently. "You mean with professors?"

The Joker's eyes widened for affect and he nodded, pressing his lips together firmly. "And you know...I'm pretty certain...," he inched closer, breathing in her scent as he lifted her hair back from her ear. "We always suspected that...he prefers to wear ladies clothes when he's on his own."

Vicki Vale met his eyes; she was shocked and a little crushed. "Oh..." she breathed. "_Oh_." He caught her staring down at her revealing dress, fingering the tight fabric lightly. He noted her disappointment. He gave her shoulders a tight squeeze. A little too tight. Vicki squeaked.

"Ahh princess, never mind," he whispered. "That outfit wasn't a waste of time, trust me. Why I could just...eat you all up."

She threw her piercing blue eyes back at him, her arched, perfectly groomed brows pulling together in confusion. "I'm sorry I didn't get _your_ name?"

At that moment, he suddenly became bored with his little charade and itched to get away. Abruptly he slid off of the fountain lip, but not before turning and giving the shapely blonde's behind a pinch, earning a yelp from her, which she tried to conceal behind her cocktail glass.

"Now..." he leaned closer and whispered in her ear. "Don't go telling old Brucie that I told you all that. He'd never speak to me again!"

Vicki Vale smiled thinly. "It's our little secret."

He turned, threw her a cheerful smile and wiggled his fingers in a wave, before marching off purposely in the other direction. He was just in time to pass the billionaire. The Joker was close enough to smell his fiery aftershave as he waltzed briskly past him, not even looking in his direction. The Joker's insides twisted as he glanced back and watched as Bruce Wayne sauntered over to the leggy blonde girl, dipping his head to plant a kiss on her cheek. He noticed how all he passed turned to stare at him, their eyes barely concealing the envy and curiosity within.

Something twanged in his gut and he couldn't understand why. Was it rage? He couldn't answer. The Joker, despite all his eccentricities was a deceptively simple man. He didn't yearn for wealth and he certainly didn't long for the kind of naked fame that Bruce Wayne had had thrust upon him all his life. It was true to say that he was a narcissistic man. He loved the fame that his recent atrocities had brought him. But it was anonymous. Nobody knew his real name. Nobody even knew what he looked like. And it gave him a sneaky, almost exhilarating thrill to walk among these parasites and pretend to be one of them.

They were foolish and vain. They didn't look past the suit long enough to see the man who wore it. It made him sick. But as he went to the red, carpeted steps that led up to the main body of the house, leaning back on the banister, he glanced over at the man that lived in this palace and felt something inside him that he wasn't used to. It was a dull ache that spread out under his ribcage, like a twisting hand was clamped around the dead dried up organ that was his heart. It made him feel raw.

Selina liked him. She had _cried _over him. He remembered holding her in the night, watching as she slept, the tears she'd shed dry and salty on her skin. He'd held her and kissed her and knew that she was crying over another man. _That man_. The rage that boiled up out of nowhere was enough to make him grit his teeth together, inhaling sharply through his nostrils. He didn't want to acknowledge the feeling, but it insisted. It demanded to be recognised. He realised at once, that he was bitterly jealous.

/

Selina hated the fact that her palms were actually a little clammy. As the taxi pulled up outside the large oak front door, its breaks crunching over the gravel, she carefully wiped them on the seat as she slid out. The air, cool and crisp on her skin was a welcome break from the stuffy interior of the cab. She leaned into the window to hand the wad of dollars to the driver, noticing as his small eyes did a quick sweep of the length of her body.

Selina knew she looked good and that alone should have boosted her confidence. She was about ready to wipe the floor with the vapid Miss Vale that was for sure. Also the small, but powerful magnum that she had stashed inside her bodice should have added to her confidence. But as the car sped away and she watched its retreat down the torch lit driveway, she suddenly felt her earlier bravado leave her in a wave.

Just breathe, breathe, she told herself. Her satin heels clicked across the stone floor in the entrance hallway. The layers of netting under her skirt rustled as she walked. Her hair, golden and shiny was piled up in a mass of neat pin curls, fixed with a diamante clasp. The dress hugged and fell in all the right places, and she noted a few admiring glances as she stepped into the foyer of the great house, where a familiar and friendly face was waiting to greet her.

"Miss Kyle," Mr. Pennyworth smiled happily as she inched closer. He took one of her hands, encased in long satin black gloves and gave it an affectionate squeeze. Selina felt her bravado return. She smiled back at him, with real affection. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you!" she said. The apology that she had promised herself she would make teetered on her lips. Instead she took a glass of champagne from the tray he had momentarily laid aside. "The house looks amazing."

"I don't think you saw the ballroom when you were last here," he was saying, still holding her hand as he guided her to the steps that were concealed around the back of the massive sweeping staircase in the main hall. "Master Wayne will be so pleased that you decided to come. I hope you're not regretting the decision?"

Selina, slightly caught off guard gave him her best smile. "Oh...I'm fine," she lied smoothly. "I'm not one for large gatherings that's all."

"Have a good night Miss Kyle," he told her, his eyes crinkling as he smiled. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to see to the catering staff."

"Of course," she nodded briskly, watching as he darted away, leaving her standing motionless at the foot of the stairs. The bundle of nerves that she had held in check all day suddenly exploded like millions of tiny spiders crawling up her insides. She swayed and her legs weakened.

I can't do this, she breathed steadily. Selina knew that she would have to gain control of her nerves if she was going to climb up those stairs and cross into that threshold. The music had already started and she could hear the din and the laughter from that room. It wasn't her world. She didn't belong in that room. And the worst thing was that Bruce knew it too. They were the Gotham's finest and although Selina appeared to have been born into that life, she knew that she wasn't like them. In the past with Elliot they had played their little games, pretending to be one of the socialites, only to rob them blind only hours later. Selina was used to the grandeur and the finery. But in her heart she was still that scruffy, dirty faced little kid from the narrows, who had never graduated, had never even been to a real school and certainly didn't belong in this world of blue bloods.

She brought the champagne glass to her lips and sipped it greedily. Somehow having a drink in her hand made her feel less exposed. She placed her foot on the first step, took a breath and then began to climb up. The music became louder as she neared the top step and when she emerged victorious at the top, she smoothed her facial features into a cool neutral smile, taking her time to survey the room.

To her disappointment, she saw Bruce almost instantly. The room was an expansive oval space, each wall clad in a rustic oak panelling. Towards the back of the room was a staging area where a brass band was set up and playing jazz back ground classics. Selina couldn't miss the fountain because Bruce was standing right by it. Dressed in a neat, tailored tuxedo, his hair smooth and immaculate, he didn't notice her at once. Selina realised that his attention was on the slightly smaller blonde female at his side. She was smiling up at him like a teenager, clinging on his every word and Selina felt her insides coil up.

"Ah excuse me?" a voice said to her left and Selina flinched. When she looked at the man who had spoken she did a double take. The man was tall, very handsome and almost reminded her of Bruce himself. His hair was just as dark and his face had that same angular, stony quality. Only now he was smiling down at her. "You look a little lost."

"Oh...do I?" Selina laughed tightly. "I'm just taking it all in. It's quite a party."

He smiled back, his face creasing nicely. "Yeah. Bruce knows how to throw a good bash. I haven't seen you around before?"

Selina groaned inwardly. "Well I'm kind of new here in town."

"How do you know Bruce Wayne?" he asked and Selina cocked an eyebrow at him curiously.

"I'm his art dealer," she answered curtly. "And you are?"

He grinned sheepishly, a bashful look creeping over his face. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to be rude. I'm a friend of Bruce's. We've known each other since we were kids. I'm Doctor Thomas Elliot."

He reached for her hand and Selina presented him with her own, and offered him a dazzling smile. This man was fantastically attractive and right up Holly's street. Selina thought that if Holly ever spoke to her again, she would have to remember to fix them up. His eyes were a little intense though, seeming to peer right into her own.

"I'm Selina Kyle," she shook his hand firmly. "Pleased to meet you _Doctor._"

"Oh it's my pleasure really. I was watching you when you came in and you look about as comfortable here with the trust find brigade as I do!" he joked and Selina smiled back sweetly. The glass of champagne she'd managed to neck down had settled her nerves and she felt a relaxing glow spreading over her chest. He was handsome and flirting with her and it was impossible not to preen like a peacock. Selina found having the power almost intoxicating when it came to flirting.

"You were watching me huh?" she tilted her head. She watched amused as he did the same. Selina was good at this. When you flirted you learn to mirror your intended victim's body language. They smile, you smile. They laugh, you laugh. They tilt their head, you tilt your head. But most of all, you don't blink.

"It was pretty hard not to," his voice had lost all of its edge.

"Where do you work?" she feigned interest, sweeping her eyes back over the crowd. She locked eyes with Bruce across the room. He was glaring up at her, his jaw tense. The handsome doctor was speaking but Selina couldn't make out the words. Her ears were ringing with the sudden dance music that the band had begun to play and her own heart drumming along to the rhythm.

Bruce moved away from his blonde companion and Selina felt a tug of satisfaction as she pouted miserably at his sudden exit. He began inching through the throng of bodies, smiling as each of his guest tried to lure him into conversation. Selina's heart sped up, her legs itching to move and run to him. He was staring up at her with eyes that insisted that she stayed put.

"You want to go somewhere quieter? Find a dark corner somewhere? I'm sure there's plenty in this old place," the doctor suddenly said in her ear, a little too close for comfort. She swept her eyes away from Bruce, back up to the handsome doctor that was standing closer to her now than she was happy with. His eyes were wide and earnest and she saw the familiar heat hidden within their depths.

Selina almost choked back laughter. The nerve of the man. She'd just walked through the door. Bruce was nearing the stairs and having a hard time getting past his intrusive guests. Selina's legs suddenly went wooden. If he got to her, what could she say? She knew that she would end up caving in, completely lost to her own treacherous emotions.

I'm not ready yet. I'm not ready for him. She suddenly couldn't see straight and fought down waves of panic. The urge to run was compelling. Her hand drifted to her skirt and lifted the hem away from her feet.

"That's sweet," she touched the doctor's arm. "Would you excuse me?"

Selina skidded on her heels, swift as she ducked past the confused looking young man and back down the stairs. Breathing deeply when she reached the bottom, she calmly lifted her chin and ducked down one of the narrow, darkened corridors to the left of the staircase. She swiftly kicked off her shoes and hung them over her wrist by the straps.

Hoping desperately that Bruce wasn't following her, Selina's face flamed with embarrassment. What was she doing? She quickened her pace down the hall, her dress rustling underneath her as she moved. She smelled cooking and stopped abruptly as she wandered by what appeared to be a small catering kitchen. Avoiding the puzzled stared of the catering staff as they passed her with loaded trays; she wandered deeper down the hall, until it opened up into a small lobby area. There was a reading chaise underneath a large leaded window and breathlessly, she collapsed onto it.

She propped her elbows on her knees, holding her head in her gloved hands. The room was dimly lit by a shaded reading lamp and the only other light was being thrown in through the window by the full moon outside.

"Stupid..._stupid woman_!" she wailed into her hands. "What is _wrong _with you?"

You shouldn't have come, said a voice inside her head. You don't belong here and you don't belong with him. Remember the way he looked at you when you revealed who you really were? He pitied you.

Sniffing, Selina sat up rigidly, her hands balling into fists in her lap. Could she stay here and pretend to be someone she wasn't? Could she flirt easily with Thomas Elliot and ignore the way Bruce stared at her across the room? The answer was no. She was Selina Kyle and she was a criminal. How could she have kidded herself all this time than she was something better than the little street urchin that she'd left behind all those years ago? She couldn't. The Joker was right. The Cat was part of her, it was in her blood and it was this dress, this lie that she wore as a mask.

"You know..." a familiar voice drawled from the corner. "They say talking to yourself is the first sign of madness...but who am I to judge huh?"

Selina's head snapped up in the direction of the lazy, peculiar voice that she had become all too familiar with. He stood leaning easily on the door frame, one long leg crossed over the other, his arms neatly folded. Selina literally held back her breath. Her eyes widened in shock.

"Is that..._you_?" she shifted uncomfortably, her face suddenly very pink. "You look...I mean your hair..."

It was in fact an entirely different man, who casually unfolded his arms and sauntered across the gap towards her, huffing lightly as he landed on the chaise next to her. She scooted across to allow him room, her eyes raking over his appearance. The first thing she noted was that he actually smelled clean. Wrinkling her nose she breathed in spices that almost certainly came from an old aftershave. His hair was clean and its natural colour. And the tuxedo, although a little long in the arms, fitted to him nicely, shaping his frame. He pulled back his lips and threw her a dashing grin.

Although not the colour of porcelain, his once yellow stained teeth were a brilliant, faded ivory. She smiled back encouragingly. If it wasn't for his facial scarring, she would never have guessed it was the same infamous figure that had terrorised Gotham with his garish clown suit and painted face.

"So I can assume from your stunned silence that your impressed?" he joked and she suddenly snapped out of her daze. She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"I'm certainly impressed," she said. "But you shouldn't be here Jack."

He rolled his eyes skyward. "Oh don't start all that again. I thought you'd be glad to see me?"

It hit her. She _was _pleased. Or more grateful. Something was really wrong with her. Suddenly with him sitting right next to her, she didn't feel half as alone as she had done when she'd walked away from the party. She clasped her hands in her lap and gave him a wary sideways glance.

"I saw your swift exit by the way," he mocked, giving her shoulder a nudge with his. "Do you enjoy having men literally running after you?"

Selina shook her head, embarrassed. "Oh god," she wailed. "I really need to leave."

"Say if you're still upset about that airhead and your prince charming...you needn't bother. I fixed it!" he grinned proudly and at her curious expression and her arched eyebrow he laughed triumphantly. The thunderous look on her face asked clearly 'what the hell did you do ?' and the Joker couldn't resist on filling her in on the gag.

"Lets just say that Miss Vale is now under the impression that the dashing Master Bruce likes wear stockings and suspenders under that tight business suit of his..." he dipped his torso forward and began to laugh so hard that it shook the seat they were both sitting on. Sitting up straight he slapped his knee, desperately trying to get his breath back, tears trickling from the creases in his eyes.

On turning and seeing Selina's expression he burst again. "Oh c'mon!" he bellowed. "Don't you think that's _funny_?"

Selina was desperately trying to keep her lips pressed into a thin line. But out of nowhere, laughter bubbled up out of her throat and she choked it down as quickly as it had come. She turned her head away, desperate not to break, knowing she would if she caught his eyes. But it was too late and her face cracked and she began to shriek into her hands, her shoulders shaking. The Joker, obviously enjoying her amusement began to cackle again.

On gaining her composure, she threw him an icy stare. But when met with his large, sleepy eyes, she realised that it was almost impossible to be angry with him.

"That'll be all over the gossip columns by tomorrow!" she flung at him. "How could you?"

He sobered quickly, his mocking expression long gone. "Selina...you don't belong here with him."

She stood, ashamed at her hilarity and embarrassed for Bruce. He didn't deserve to be mocked in his own home. "I know that," she shot at him. "I know I'm not good enough...but I can't help the way I feel..."

Matching her height and towering slightly over her, he stood fluidly, taking her sharply by the upper arms. She winced as he pulled her nearer. He leaned closer, his mouth grazing the side of her face as he inched down to her ear. She shivered, rooted to the spot, her heart beginning to thunder in her chest cavity.

"I never said that you weren't good enough..." he began to whisper, but then he stopped, his head whipping sideways. Selina clenched his upper arms with her hands, her whole body tensing at the sound of footsteps coming down the hall towards them.

"Selina?" Bruce's voice called out. "Are you down here?"

Selina and Jack stared at each other. "Shit!" she squawked. "You have to get out of here!"

In both their frantic hurry to get away, their bodies collided in the dimly lit room. Selina saw a door to the left and thrust Jack towards it sharply. He threw her a glare as she shoved him inside the door, which appeared to be an empty closet. She stared back imploringly, putting her finger to her lips in a 'hush' motion. Quietly she shut the door, just as Bruce rounded the corner.

He stopped abruptly when he saw her, his eyes raking over her in that dress, heat flushing across his face.

"Selina...what the hell are you doing?" he inched closer, a little breathless. "You walked away from me?"

Suddenly there was nothing funny about what was happening. His eyes were hurt and bemused and she noticed he looked tired, lines of exhaustion sweeping under his eyes. She rubbed her upper arms with her hands, the sharpness of Jack's touch still lingering there. Bruce crossed the gap between them.

Get out, get out! Selina willed him away, but when he held out his hands, she so badly wanted to reach back for him. She stepped away, making her eyes dead and cold.

"I shouldn't have come," she whispered. "I'm going to leave. I'm sorry that I've put you through all this."

"Selina...we've all done things we regret. God knows I have..."

"Don't say anymore!" Selina snapped, holding up her hand to silence him. For god sake don't say anymore, she wanted to shout. She was keenly aware of a pair of ears listening in at the door behind her. Please, please go away she wanted to tell him.

Bruce shoved his hands into his pockets, as if to try and stop himself from reaching out to her anymore. Physically he'd never been so compelled by a woman, literally having to restrain himself from being close to her. He breathing became shallow and he stepped away.

"I just want to help you," he said finally. "That's all I've ever wanted."

Selina let out an exhausted laugh. "I'm too far gone Bruce. And anyway...maybe I prefer things this way?"

He smiled thinly. "No I don't believe that. You look like you belong here...with me."

"Well looks can be deceiving Bruce. I don't belong anywhere," she pulled back her red lips in a thinly veiled sneer. "Maybe you like a lost cause?"

Bruce's face crumpled. "You're not a lost cause Selina. We could be good together. We would be perfect...don't you see that?"

"I've realised now who I am Bruce. And that woman wouldn't ever fit into your world, so don't try to force me," her words dripped with cynicism. "I'm sure Miss Vale is wondering where you are?"

He exhaled, defeated and rejected. "That's not how it looks...but I'll leave you alone. I warned you though that I wouldn't give up. And I won't."

"Because you're in love with me?" she taunted and instantly regretted the words the minute they hit the air. He flinched, obviously stung and it hurt her. But then to her dismay he shook his head.

"I don't love you," he answered. "You're right about that. But I do care about you."

Good god why wasn't he _leaving_? Selina could feel heat travelling up her neck. She could feel pricks of perspiration on her forehead. Surely he wouldn't be able to resist the urge to leap out from his hiding place and confront Bruce? But to Selina's relief he didn't. And when Bruce backed away, his footsteps lingering a moment before trudging back down the hall, she exhaled and collapsed back against the wall.

Bruce hesitated a moment before going back to the party. Sickness suddenly welling up inside him, he did what he knew he must. He flipped open the cell phone and began to type. It was only two words. _He's here_. And then he sent it to Jim Gordon.

/

Jim Gordon handed his wife a flute of champagne. He watched her carefully, admiringly as she took a sip and then wrinkled her nose in distaste. Jim tried not to laugh and on noticing him chuckling she threw him a look.

"I never really liked Champagne Jim," she started to laugh. "All those bubbles..."

The woman cast her eyes around the impressive room. It seemed that since they had walked in ten minutes ago over half the room had turned their heads in their direction, eager to get a glimpse of the commissioner and his wife. Barbara felt ill at ease at parties like this. She wasn't a well to do woman, she didn't know how to talk to these people. But then neither did her husband.

Nervously she sipped at her glass again, hating the mild burning sensation in her chest as the liquid slipped down her throat. She glanced up in time to see a man heading down the steps towards them and Barbara recognised him instantly. How could anyone not know him? He was practically in the newspaper every day, being photographed with some famous model or film star.

Up close Bruce Wayne was as impeccable and handsome as she imagined. He smiled warmly and Barbara blushed, taking his extended hand and shaking it. She tapped her husband on the shoulder and he turned in their direction.

"Nice to finally meet you Mrs. Gordon," Bruce said plainly. "And Commissioner...thank you for accepting my invitation at such short notice. I know you must be so busy."

"Your home is so beautiful," Barbara marvelled, her voice girlish and breathy. Jim threw her a glance and had to choke back laughter. His wife was star struck.

"Thank you...I'd love to give you the tour but it's a little crowded right now," Bruce Wayne smiled revealing even, white teeth. "I trust that you're having a good time?"

At that moment, Jim noticed an insistent buzzing in his pocket. Barbara heard it as well and narrowed her eyes at him irritably. The commissioner offered a quiet apology as he stepped aside and took out the cell phone, hearing his wife apologising profusely to the millionaire in the background. Jim read the short text and went slightly cold.

When he returned, his wife and Bruce were laughing about how he never managed to get away from work. Bruce noticed the older man's drained expression. "Is everything alright?"

"Mr. Wayne..." Jim shook his head. "I think that somewhere in this house, you have an uninvited guest."

Bruce's stone like features contorted into feigned shock. "What should I do?"

"I would quietly start to evacuate your guests, one by one. We don't want to cause panic. Have you got an area outside where they could keep on drinking?"

Bruce pressed his lips together and then nodded quickly. "We have the rose garden outside, it's lit and there a bar on the terrace. I'll tell my butler to start making the arrangements!"

When the billionaire stepped away hurriedly, his large form disappearing into the kitchen, Jim Gordon turned to his wife, panic and desperation etched into the lines of his face.

"You too Barbara," he insisted. "I can't have you anywhere in this house."

"But Jim...I'm not going to leave you!" she uttered, helplessly. He noticed how she quickly drained of colour and was reminded of a time not so long ago when officers had come to their house to deliver the news that her husband had been shot and killed. She took his hands, her own trembling and he gave them a gentle squeeze.

"Its dangerous for you to be here," he kissed her cheek. "You have to go."

/

In the dimly lit room, Selina waited and then finally behind her, the door cracked open.

Now she was mad. The whole thing was no longer funny and she felt wretched and awful for laughing at Bruce that way.

"Just get out of here!" she folded her arms. When he said nothing she turned in his direction and to her surprise he grabbed her arm roughly and yanked her into the closet.

In the dark, narrow space, pressed tightly against him she began to shake with nerves.

"What the hell are you doing?" she spluttered. She could feel his body moving around in the dark, she could hear the sound of wood groaning against wood. Suddenly he was too close, his breath hot on her neck. "Jack!"

"Calm down match girl!" he chuckled. "What do you think I'm doing?"

There was a long groan, like a heavy door swinging open and suddenly the closet was filled with clean air and light. Jack took her hand and yanked her through the walkway and blinking, Selina stepped into another passageway. Linking his fingers through hers, he tugged her down the passage until they could both hear laughter and the din from the party. Jack reached out and pushed at a door that seem to come up out of nowhere. All at once they were both back where they started, directly in the middle of the party and to the right of the staging area.

Selina's shoulders slumped but to her relief nobody seemed to pay much attention as they wandered back through the crowd. Her shoes still linked over her wrist, she tossed them to the floor and eased each bare foot back into the soles. He waited patiently, clicking his tongue before grabbing her wrist and forcing her in the direction of the dance floor.

"What are you doing?" she asked wearily. He slipped his arm about her waist, holding her harder than he really needed to. Her hands had nowhere to go except around his neck. Suddenly she was too tired to care anymore. She exhaled and looked up at him as he moved her silently in time to the music. The dance floor was packed with squashy bodies, the heat making her a little queasy. She cocked her head, her eyes scanning the room for Bruce. But she couldn't see him anywhere.

"Looking for someone?" his voice, laced with malice made her flinch. "From the telling off he just got you'd think he'd be off licking his wounds somewhere...or maybe licking someone's..."

She punched his shoulder before he could finish his sentance and he grunted, and then chuckled. "Raw nerve?"

"Just shut up!" she hissed, turning her face up to his. "You don't know him at all. He's a good man."

"Doesn't this remind you of prom night?" he asked suddenly, his change of direction throwing her off balance. Her eyebrows arched quizzically.

"You really are nuts. We never went to prom."

At her jibe, he rolled his eyes, grinning mockingly down at her. "Oh...must have been something I thought happened but didn't."

Selina leaned some of her weight on him, too miserable to fight him. "Yeah that happens to me too sometimes."

"You regret not having those things?" he asked and she shrugged her shoulders.

"Maybe. I feel cheated sometimes that I didn't get to grow up like normal girls. I didn't get a first dance or a first date."

He laughed. "You would have _never_ fitted in one of those private schools. You'd have been playing hooky with the bad boy, smoking pot and out shoplifting before you knew it."

Selina flinched in his arms. "You don't know that."

"Oh, I do," he grinned knowingly. "It's about nature. It's not about who brought you up or how much money was spent on your education. It's in you from the beginning."

Selina rolled her eyes, thinking that when he wasn't raving, sometimes he actually made sense. "So I'm bad to the bone huh?"

He sighed dramatically. "You're not _bad._ There's not a part of you that's bad. And that's why you shouldn't be with someone like Bruce Wayne. Not because you're not good enough for him...because he couldn't keep you interested."

Selina chuckled, thinking how very wrong he was. He might regret his words had he been witness to the fight she had with Bruce's alter ego in the alley that night. "Oh I don't know..." she teased, having to admit that bantering with him was somewhat enjoyable, even though she knew that they really ought to get out of here. "I think he's pretty interesting...I mean the sex was that's for sure."

She sneaked a look up at him and snorted. He was glaring down at her with narrowed eyes. "Interesting good or interesting as in he likes to keep handcuffs in his top draw?"

"I'm kidding!" she patted his shoulder, not really sure why she was reassuring him. Did he need reassurance? Selina wasnt sure she should be discussing sex with him at all, especially as everytime he moved his warm hand on her bare skin, she jolted reflexively. She dipped her head again. "You're wrong about me though. I have done things I'm not proud of."

When she lifted her lashes up to his, there was something about the way he looked at her that caught her off guard. She was reminded of being a kid and feeling like she was suffocating in his presence and yet craving his attention at the same time. Like she couldn't breathe. Maybe that was why she was delaying leaving the party so soon? Because she didn't trust herself around him when they were alone.

"Oh yeah?" he teased, his voice gruff.

"I've killed someone," she admitted darting her eyes away. She wasn't really sure why she was confessing this now. Only that she wanted to shake away his unwavering opinion of her that she was some goody two shoes in a Cat costume. That she was good. The truth was she was rotten and that was why she could never be with someone like Bruce Wayne.

When he didn't speak, she took it as a sign to continue. Her heart hammered a little faster, horrible, long buried memories coming back to haunt her.

"When I was with Elliot, we used to play this game. He'd buy me a nice dress and we'd go to town and crash a party. It never mattered that we weren't on the guest list, somehow we always got in. When we were there Elliot would have found the fattest fish in the place. We would target them and then I was left to it. I'd stay with them all night, flirting, flattering them until I'd convince them to take me home. Then I'd rob them blind."

She let her eyes drift up, feeling his gaze on her skin. His eyes like saucers, he was listening intently as she spoke. Suddenly the music had faded away and they were the only two left there dancing, at least that was what it felt like. Selina's confession was pouring out of her and she was powerless to stop it. She had never spoken of this to anyone. But she thought of all people, he could take it.

"This one time was no different to the rest of them. We were living in London and Elliot managed to get me into this gala ball. We were targeting this young investment banker that had just made a fortune on the stock market. The guy was so young, barely into his twenties. I spent the whole night with him, pretending to be interested when he talked about his mom and how happy he was that he could take care of her. When the night came to an end, we went outside and I tricked him around the back of this hotel and I started to rob him at knife point..."

Their eyes met briefly and he urged her to continue. "You started to...?"

"But then...he kind of went purple. He fell on the ground and...well I think he was having an asthma attack. I panicked...but I stayed..." Selina closed her eyes, leaning her forehead slightly closer to him, lowering her voice. "I stayed and he couldn't breathe...I tried to help him. But he...he died. He couldn't get his breath and he just died. And I had to leave him there all on his own."

His grip tightened around her middle and she fought the urge to lean on him for support. He rested his jaw against her forehead and she felt it tense up, when she snaked her arms around his back.

"You didn't exactly pull the trigger," he said gruffly, his voice strained and unusually quiet. "You didn't take his life."

"I didn't kill him," she agreed. "But I may as well have." She lifted her head then and squarely met his black eyes. "You know what really got to me? You know what kept me awake for months after that happened?"

He didn't ask the question, but nodded slowly for her to answer, his eyes never leaving hers. Selina's green ones were full of regret and sadness. Misty eyed she felt them well up again.

"When he was laying there struggling to breathe...when he was dying...he started to cry. What kind of monster am I?"

"Hey," he reached out and took her face roughly between his hands. He brought his mouth close enough to hers that he could have kissed her if he had wanted to. Instead he gripped her cheeks with his fingers, forcing the sadness out of her eyes.

"Listen to me...you're no monster," he hissed. "And I've seen my share."

She laid her hands over his. Oblivious to the other partners sharing the dance floor, they were attracting some attention. And something was happening in the room. It was dividing in half. But Jack and Selina didn't notice. The music ended abruptly, but they didn't hear it.

"I want to be better Jack," she whispered urgently, her eyes searching his own imploringly. "Don't you want to be _better_?"

He looked as though he were searching for an answer, a witty or scathing comeback. But his lips went slack and his shoulders loosened. Selina didn't realise how hard she was gripping his shirt sleeves until his hands moved down to cup her chin.

If there was such a thing as being able to see what your life could have been, or where another path could have led you, then at that moment, it was brightly illuminated. He had never thought that there could have been another life for him. After all this was what he was now, a shadow, a man in a clown costume. Selina saw it to. She saw them together at Humberside as children. Rene had never left and gone back to the Falcones. Jonah had never gone to jail and had married Ally. And she and Jack and grown up together.

Suddenly it was horrible and heartbreaking because she saw it so vividly. That was what was _supposed_ to have happened. Another very different life. Selina closed her eyes and listened to his breathing, feeling the warmth of his forehead pressed against hers.

/

Gordon was at the huge oak doors, motioning for his men to file in quickly and quietly. One by one, alarmed guests were being herded out of the front door into the chilly, biting night. The old butler was doing a magnificent job of rounding them all up, ushering them to the terraced bar area at the rear of the house.

Gordon motioned for one of his young officers to stop. The man paused and looked at his commissioner urgently. "I want an officer on every floor, every exit out of this place!" he whispered to the younger man. "And I want him alive, understand? No screw ups."

The officer nodded, breathlessly, his eyes watching keenly as his colleagues began to disperse about the house. By the stairwell to the ballroom, the young millionaire was watching intently, his face plainly anxious. Gordon tried to force a smile, but it never quite reached his eyes as he approached Bruce.

"It'll be alright," Gordon reassured him, giving him a firm pat on the shoulder. "We're about to start evacuating the ballroom now. No panic you understand...I'm sure most of your guests are far too well lubricated by now to really pay much attention."

Bruce was about to say something when another female officer came rushing over. She was plain clothed, dressed in a bright pink evening gown and with her hair piled up in curls she looked just like any other party guest.

"Officer Jackson," Gordon recognised her and her alarmed, bright green eyes. "What is it?"

"I've spotted him Sir. In the ballroom...you better come see this."

Bruce cleared his throat. "I'll come with you."

Gordon was about to open his lips in protest when the female officer shot him another furious look. "Sir...hurry!"

Their buffed shoes slapped across the stone floor. Bruce's legs were slightly wooden as he followed the commissioner up the red carpeted steps. He had read the urgency and the startled look of confusion in the girl's eyes and wasn't the least bit prepared for what he was about to see.

In the ballroom, couples were gathered closely together on the dance floor. The band was still playing softly, a slow well known Glen Miller tune, to keep the atmosphere calm and not cause panic. Gordon stared out over the sea of bodies, pressed tightly together. He narrowed his eyes and then cast a frustrated glance back at his officer.

"Where?" he hissed through his teeth. The girl in the bright pink gown lifted her hand and pointed loosely to a couple, rammed tightly into the centre of the dance floor. Something about the way he was holding her, something about the way she was looking up at him made Gordon snap his mouth shut. There was something very private about the moment that they appeared to be sharing, almost so that Gordon felt the urge to look away.

Confused, he turned to look at Bruce Wayne and nearly did a double take. The young man's face was contorted in emotion. His brows were pulled together so tightly that a large, deep rivet had formed on his forehead. His jaw looked set so tightly that he looked about ready to crunch down on his own teeth. It wasn't the face of Bruce Wayne the playboy. He looked utterly and completely furious.

Turning away Gordon tapped his officer on the shoulder. "Bring everyone down here and surround this ballroom." She nodded at the order and sped back down the stairs.

"I think it's about time that you joined your guests outside Mr. Wayne?" Gordon twisted his neck back once more in the billionaire's direction. But he found that he was talking to air. As Bruce Wayne had vanished.

/

The room was taken over by a hush of silence and only when Selina tore her gaze away from Jack, she noticed a man walking briskly across the empty dance floor towards them. The crowds had parted like the red sea, leaving an easy walking space in between. The man was staring at them hard, his face a mixture of revulsion and fear. It was Jim Gordon. Selina hissed and shook Jack away. The commissioner took out a gun from his belt and aimed it high at the Joker's head.

"Get your hands off that woman Joker," he told the clown urgently. "Step away from her now."

Selina let go of Jack's shirt sleeve, feeling his arm drop heavily to his side. Slowly, carefully the Joker held up his palms and took a dramatic side step to the left away from Selina. Selina felt the presence of her small magnum pressing into the top of her bodice. Starting to sweat lightly, her eyes nervously scanned the room, searching for Bruce, but somehow she knew that he wasn't here. She had an awful sinking feeling that he was busy putting on his kit, ready for the fight that was about to break out.

Jim Gordon's face was livid and tense, his jaw clenched tightly, breathing deeply through his nose. His eyes flicked back and forth between the man in the tuxedo and the woman. They were both similar height, both blonde haired and strangely he felt like he'd seen them before. Seeing them standing their only a foot apart brought back long buried memories. He remembered the way the little girl had chased them out of this very house, screaming desperately for them not to take the boy away.

"You slipped up Joker," Gordon fired at him. "And now you're heading straight back to Arkham."

"Commissioner please," the Joker drawled lazily, nodding his head at the weapon pointed at his midsection. "Its rude to point...where are you manners?"

"On your knees Joker!" the older man bellowed, signalling with his gun exactly where the Joker needed to be. "Hands behind your head."

Panic began to rise in Selina's chest, her heart fluttering nervously. "Do as he says," she hissed at him. She heard the loud rushing noise of collective footsteps and all of a sudden, police officers began to crawl out of the woodwork, a few of them even in formal wear.

They were surrounded and the room was filled with anxious whimpering from slightly tipsy party guests. But Jack remained aloof, not willing to lower his body to the floor.

At that moment a large, burly officer stepped forward from the crowd. He closed the gap between himself and the Joker. He barely had time to react as the officer produced what appeared to be a Taser. Selina shrieked and covered her mouth with her hands. There was an electric buzzing sound, which muffled slightly as the officer rammed the taser into his torso and with a loud groan, which swiftly turned into a light giggling, the Joker collapsed to his knees. He fell forward onto the palms of his hands, struggling for breath.

Daring a quick look at her, he gave her a wink and then groaned loudly. Silently Selina shook her head, willing him to stay down. But at that moment, something else happened. The room exploded. Literally. It appeared to start from the stage. There was an overwhelming boom, flames sparking up out of nowhere. The sheer force of the explosion sent the musical instruments and members of the band flying out in all directions. The marble fountain, cracked and splintered, sending chunks of concrete flying across the room. For a horrible second the room was filled with the noise of breaking bodies, sickening thuds and splatters of blood.

Selina fell flat on her stomach, dust and debris falling down around her. People around her were shrieking and screaming. She rolled and covered her head as a large shard of wood landed directly next to her. Struggling for breath she tried to sit up, tearing the hem of her gown. Her feet were pinned under concrete and she had a horrible, dull sensation that suggested that she couldn't feel them at all. Blinking rapidly and desperate to remain calm, she sat and twisted her body. She tried to haul the concrete off her legs, but it was too heavy.

Coughing up dust, she peered through the din. Where was he? Where was Jack?

"Are you alright?" a voice said in her ear and she squinted up in its direction. She saw the concerned eyes of Jim Gordon above her, his face dusty and sweaty. "Can you feel your feet?"

"I don't know," she fought down a wave of panic. He was on his knees beside her. Letting a great whoosh of air between his teeth, he gritted them and heaved at the block and Selina immediately felt the tingle of blood rushing back to her legs. Wobbly, he slipped an arm under her back and hauled her up. Gripping his suit jacket she turned, leaning heavily against him.

"Thank you," she breathed. It was though the mingling dust particles that she saw another face appear over his shoulder. This face was younger, his blue, steel eyes set on her face. Realising too late, Selina flung Gordon aside; she caught his surprised glance as he fell on his back with a wince. Selina ducked Elliot's blow to her head, swivelling on her already weak legs, managing to kick his own feet from under him.

Elliot growled up at her from the floor, his teeth clenched. "What's the matter babe?" he spat. "Anyone would think your unhappy to see me? After all this was our scene back in the day."

Unsteadily, she regained her balance. She was too mad to be shocked at his entrance. She was only angry at herself for not expecting it. She should have known he wouldn't have stopped after the break in.

Selina pulled the small, silver magnum out of her top and shot it in Elliot's direction, not pausing for thought. She felt the waves of the gun shudder up her arms and staggered back a little on her bare feet. The shot missed him narrowly and instead pinged off the edge of what was still intact of the marble fountain. Selina hissed as Elliot rolled to his own feet and came charging in her direction.

Someone bumped her aside then and she staggered to the left. Tatty and dirty, his tuxedo blown almost to rags, the Joker gave her a wink and pulled the gun out of her grasp. He licked his lips and waved her aside.

"You're a lousy shot you know that?" he joked, squinting one eye in Elliot's direction. The shot cracked in her ears, her shoulders rising up to meet them. To her horror Elliot dived left, landing squarely next to her feet. His cold hands encircled one of her ankles and with no chance to kick free, he yanked her down. She yelled in pain as her back scraped over sharpened debris, leaving a trail of blood in her path. He reached down and yanked her up by the roots of her hair.

Another shot whistled past them and Selina heard the distinct noise of a growl erupting in the room. When she darted her eyes towards the noise, she saw Bruce or rather she saw his intimidating alter ego towering above Jack, who was lying sprawled at his feet, clearly unconscious. In that moment, Selina was too dazed to move or even try to fight back.

She saw many things happen in what could have been only mere seconds. In one of those seconds she saw Gordon haul his body off the floor, grabbing the unconscious Jack's arms and binding them together with handcuffs so that they rested over his stomach. His head was twisted to the side and with his shoes gone and clothes torn loose he looked like he belonged in a Dickensian novel.

Then above him, she locked eyes with Bruce. His stare was cold and unfeeling, angrier than she'd ever seen him. She opened her mouth to say something, to whisper the words 'I'm sorry' but there wasn't time. For then there was pain. A sharp, startling pain that filled her head. Her eyes went unfocussed and misty and then completely black.

In a semi unconscious state she slipped to the floor, her body limp and weak. She felt the crack of her skull as it hit the floor and then she felt nothing. A dull roaring noise filled her ears, muffled with cries of anguish and somebody calling out for her hysterically.

The voice was deranged and filled with agony. And strange, muffled laughter bubbling out of the throat. She felt herself being lifted away. Or was she floating? Too many voices were in her head, calling her name, over and over. She was sure one of them was Bruce. The other voice more hysterical, half screaming, half laughing...she thought she recognised.

Then the voice became soft. It was a woman's voice, floating above her, calling out her name. The woman was crying. And when Selina opened her eyes, when her vision cleared, the eyes she saw above her belonged to Holly.


	35. Mad Dogs

**Hi all. Hope everyone had a great Xmas. As its holiday time again, this means that I get to write. I'm really sorry for the lack of updates, my weeks are crazy and weekends are usually taken up. I'm hoping very much to get more chapters out before this week is up. I've had a few new readers and some really amazing reviews and I wanted to say thank you all so much for your support with this story. Reviews, no matter what they say are so encouraging and keep me on my toes. There is a list at the end of this chapter thanking everyone individually and if I've missed anyone please consider yourself thanked! Hope you like this one and as always please let me know your thoughts.**

**LBG xxx**

**Mad Dogs**

Penny Tyler placed the old, worn coffee mug back on the stained coaster on the ledge of her desk. Nervously she glanced at the clock, the one that ticked loudly in the hall above the large solid wood entrance doors to the GCPD. It was nearing midnight and the halls of the old police station were eerily quiet and she was thankful that her shift was nearly done.

Licking her dry lips, she straightened her stiff shoulders and prepared to continue with the task at hand, which had been filing. She had been listening keenly to the police radio since the call came in from Wayne Manor over three hours ago, its static silence filling the empty halls. It wasn't the same in this place without the officers that ran it. Penny had worked here over twelve years and she had never seen them all so anxious. After the call had come in, over twenty officers had been called to the scene, leaving only a handful behind with her.

Since the call had come in, she had heard nothing, left alone in a place that was usually crowded and busy, officers bustling past one another. Never was she left alone in the building for such long periods. She shivered lightly, when all of a sudden she heard something outside the large double doors.

Narrowing her eyes, she stood slowly, hearing sirens approaching, relief and dread filling her heart at the same time. A car screeched to a halt in front of the building and all at once the hall was illuminated with red and blue flashing light. Penny cocked her head, peering through the dark glass as shapes began to emerge from the vehicle. Then she shuddered as a deafening, roaring noise, like a tank approaching drowned out the sound of the sirens.

An armoured car, as large as a tank but painted a dense matt black as night pulled in alongside the first car. The young woman flinched as the double doors flung apart, two large feet clad in shiny, polished shoes came through the door first. The feet skidded across the polished floor, squeaking, the body that accompanied them wriggling frantically as he was being forcibly dragged through the doors. Recoiling more at the noise of the bubbling, horrible laughter, Penny jumped back from the desk, her chair scraping across the floor.

For one sickening second she met the man's eyes and desperately wished she hadn't. He twisted his torso so violently in the struggling arms of Warren and Daniels, the two young officers that were grappling with him. He moved so fluidly, that like an eel he slipped out of their grasp. Then the laughing man, with eyes like black coals and his teeth bore in a snarl, crawled like a snake across the floor towards her.

Penny opened her mouth to cry out, his hand encircling one of her ankles and before she knew it, she was being pulled, her weight anchoring her and like a dead weight she was being dragged down onto the polished floor. She hit her skull with a bump and she grimaced, opening her eyes in time to see the man reaching for her throat. She blinked as the man so closely above her suddenly made a face of disappointment and then he was yanked up by the scruff of his ruined tuxedo.

"Cuff him," said Gordon who had come bursting through the door. "I told you not to take any chances. God...Penny are you ok?"

The young woman sat up gingerly, rubbing the back of her head. "Uhh...I'm Ok," she answered shakily. Someone took her arm, yanking her to her feet and she turned her head to stare up at her rescuer. She felt the strength drain out of her legs and heat rush to her cheeks. He didn't seem much bothered by her, he was too busy staring at the strange man in the tuxedo, but he held her arm in a vice grip, hard enough to leave a bruise.

"Thanks, you can let go," Penny twitched in his arms and the Batman looked down at her suddenly, his cold, dark eyes barely visible beneath the cowl. "That kind of hurts."

He nodded and let go. Penny leaned against the desk for support as he swept away following the commissioner to the elevator that took them to the lower cells, his cape breezing about his enormous, powerful legs. She let out a sigh, meeting the eyes of Daniels who was staring at her admiringly across the hall.

"You ok Penny?" he leaned against the desk, breathless and a little flushed. But it was an exhilarated flush; Penny had seen enough young officers in her time and knew when they were filled with adrenaline. "It's not everyday a woman gets attacked by the Joker and rescued by Batman all in a matter of seconds."

He laughed shortly but Penny didn't see the joke and she staggered back into her chair, raking her hands through her messy blonde curls.

"I'm honoured," her voice dripped with sarcasm. "Certainly a memorable way to end my shift!"

Suddenly it was as if there had never been a moment when she had been alone. All at once the empty corridors were filled with officers dressed in various stages of formal attire. Some looked like they had been dragged through the centre of a twister, their ties missing or shoes gone. Officer Jackson came bounding into the MCU in a tattered pink ball gown.

"What happened to you all?" Penny asked Daniels. The younger officer grinned rakishly.

"Oh it's been quite a night!" he joked. "And it isn't even over."

Penny turned her head and witnessed Gordon and Batman stepping inside the elevator, both planted firmly either side of the notorious figure that at this moment in time didn't look anything like the Joker she had seen so many times on the television. The doors pulled closed slowly and just before they did, he caught her staring and gave her a wink that on any other man would have been cute or even charming. Penny just swallowed nervously and began to gather her things together, truly ready to head home to her bed, the bump at the back of her skull beginning to ache. Although she doubted that she would get the memory of that laugh out of her mind for a few hours yet.

/

Selina remembered being in Bruce's ballroom. She remembered the carnage and devastation as motes of dust began to settle where she had stood and she had been staring at him across the room, chunks of debris blocking her path. She remembered mouthing something to him and then that had been the moment when Elliot had hit her.

They were in a bathroom and Selina was shivering, the tiles she was sitting on cool underneath her. Holly helped her into a sitting position, slightly slumped against the tub. Selina blinked at her friend, her eyeballs hot and achy, her head felt like it had been spilt open. She reached for it gingerly, but Holly caught her hand.

"Don't," she warned softly. "It'll hurt."

"That arsehole hit me," Selina stated the obvious, her vision still a little blurred. She was slowly coming around, the fog of her memory clearing. She realised at once she hadn't seen her friend for days and reached out and planted her hand on her shoulder. Holly looked battered, her eyes saucer wide and ringed with dark circles. There was a fresh bruise grazing the curve of her jaw, its ugly purple tinge stark against Holly's pale flesh. Selina's stomach clenched.

"What...what has he done to you?" she stammered, her voice trembling with anger more than fear. Elliot was having no third or fourth chances now. Now it was done between them and Selina wouldn't be so forgiving.

Holly dipped her eyes as though the truth burned deep within them and it would be too terrible for Selina to see. Selina knew at once the horrors that Elliot must have inflicted on her, after all she had been a willing victim once upon a time. Selina knew first hand Elliot's strange sexual perversions and his liking for humiliation. Selina's eyes filled up.

"Oh...Holly I'm so sorry..." she reached for her friend and Holly caved in, all the strength she had been using up to keep herself together, suddenly melted away. They hugged and cried, until at last Holly pulled away.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I should have been loyal. I shouldn't have left you...this is my doing!"

Selina shook her head wildly, though it hurt to do so. "I brought that creep into our lives. I should have killed him years ago..."

Holly's face softened a little, a shadow of her old smile on her lips. "Well we can sit here all day and work out who's to blame but we _really _need to get out of here."

Selina struggled to sit, the binds on her feet pinching her sore skin. The rope had been tied tight enough to cut off her circulation and her feet felt oddly dead, like dragging wood across the bathroom tiles. The other end of the rope had been looped around the stem of the hand basin. Her hands were mercifully free and she decided that Elliot must have been satisfied that he'd hit her hard enough to keep her out long enough until he got back.

Holly however was cuffed at both wrists and ankles, but was free to crawl around the bathroom floor. Selina squinted slightly as she peered around the stark whiteness of the bathroom. It was impeccably clean apart from a few spots of blood on the tiles. On the shelf above the hand basin there was a row of expensive cosmetics in glossy, coloured bottles.

"This is your bathroom?" Selina probed and Holly nodded. "So...where is he?"

Holly sighed deeply. "He left a few hours ago. I think he wanted more rope to tie me up as well."

"Do you know what he's planning?" Selina narrowed her eyes and Holly cleared her throat.

"He said something yesterday about you being his 'addiction' and that he needed to crack it," Holly snorted. "Guess that means he wants to kill you, huh?"

Selina looked away. "Maybe," she muttered. "But I can't sit here and wait till he comes back. How strong is that lock on the door?"

Holly shrugged her narrow shoulders. "This whole building is falling apart, my guess that it isn't very strong." She looked so tired and defeated and Selina was acutely aware that Holly seemed to be in pain. Her small wrists were circled with nasty red welts from the cuffs. Selina fought the urge to close her eyes, knowing that her anger would make her stronger.

"Can you try and loosen these bonds on my ankles?" she asked curtly. "My feet feel like two clubs."

Holly shuffled across the tiles on her knees, wincing a little as she bent over Selina's shackled legs. "I tried earlier...he's really tied it up good." The smaller girl stretched out her hands as much as the cuffs would allow, her breathing shallow as her trembling fingers worked at the knots. Selina felt waves at frustration building up inside her. Not at her friend but at the fact that she knew Holly was hurt and that Selina hadn't managed to save herself. She was angry that Elliot had managed to drag her back into his clutches. Holly's movements were infuriatingly slow but Selina bit her tongue.

The knots were deep, thick rope and after a moment, Selina felt prickles of sensation as blood began to flow back to her legs. Breathing a sigh of relief, Selina struggled against the rope, grimacing as the cord sawed against her bare legs, but managed to work her feet free enough to wiggle her toes. Then Holly managed to untie the loop at the basin stem.

"That's great Hols!" she said and Holly looked up at her through watery eyes. Holly collapsed back against the tub, her breathing raspy. Then Selina froze. As Holly fell back, Selina noticed that a dark stain was blooming over her shirt front under her ribcage, spreading open like a flower. Words caught in her throat and she pushed Holly's shirt up with her free hands. Holly was clammy, her skin waxy and cool, her breath coming in short pants.

Selina lifted the blood soaked material away from Holly's skin and suppressed a gasp. The wound was still open and untreated, the skin around the deep laceration turning a sickish purple.

"I tried to run..."Holly closed her eyes. "He used the knife. I don't think it's very deep."

It took all of Selina's will to hold her temper in check. She tried to make her voice soothing. She took Holly's shoulders firmly, forcing the girl to look up at her.

"Listen to me...I know it hurts, but this is far from over. I'm going to get you out of here but you have to stay strong. I'm going to patch you up first and then we have to find a way to get out of this room."

On her knees Selina hooked her arm over the tub and hauled herself to her numb feet. Balancing precariously on her tied limbs she dragged herself across to the sink, gripping the basin lip with both hands. She reached up for the medicine cabinet and began to route through it. Loaded with an armful of supplies she plopped back down next to her friend and eased her onto the floor. Shivering lightly she unbuttoned Holly's shirt and lifted it away.

"Don't Selina..." she hissed through clenched teeth. Selina pinched her friend's face between two fingers, staring down at her blackly.

"This is _going _to get infected...if it isn't already. It's going to hurt but you have to be brave. You've come this far haven't you?" Holly looked up at her through eyes that were filled with horror and pain. She nodded weakly.

Selina began to unravel some gauze and padding that she had found in the cabinet. There was a bottle of half empty disinfectant and Selina twisted off the cap and splashed the liquid onto some cotton pads. Holly inched away but Selina grabbed her shoulder, meeting her eyes squarely.

"I can't stitch you up...there isn't time. This'll have to do before we can get you to the hospital."

Holly didn't have time to wriggle away. Without warning, Selina slapped the cotton wadding down onto Holly's open wound, earning a yell of agony from the girl. Holly, half dazed with agony reached out and shoved Selina's shoulder with such force that it sent her flying back on the tiles. Selina blinked and widened her eyes at her friend who was writhing on the floor like a wounded animal.

"_Holy...shit_!" Holly screeched, tears leaking from the corners of her eyes. Selina got back up and took up the wadding again, careful to wipe around the wound. Then she placed the gauze over it, taping it in place. "_You utter bitch!_"

Selina choked back laughter as she wound the gauze around Holly's slim waist, making sure it was securely fastened. She caught Holly's gaze and saw her staring up at her with venomous fury.

"You did good," Selina brushed the hair off of Holly's sweaty brow, a tender gesture in light of the agony she had just inflicted on her friend. "I never knew you were so strong."

"I never knew you were such an evil cow," Holly said dryly, still slightly breathless. "Guess we learn something new every day."

Selina sat back on her knees and looked once more at the door, blocking their path to freedom. She rolled onto her back, scooting across the tiles on her bottom her body at a strange right angle as she levelled herself on her forearms. She judged the distance of her feet to the door and brought her knees up to her chest.

"Wait," Holly wriggled up beside her. "I'll help."

"You're too weak," Selina protested but Holly shook her head.

"You can't do everything on your own Selina," Holly argued, lining up her body next to her friend and pulling her knees up to her chest. "I'm not leaving you again."

Selina felt warmth rush to her cheeks and managed a weak smile. But there was no time to waste and she nodded firmly at her friend. "We kick out on three. I think two or three kicks and it'll be enough to loosen that door on its hinges."

Holly nodded and turned to look ahead.

"When you kick, it has to come from your torso," Selina said encouragingly. "Imagine your legs going right _through _that wood. See yourself _kicking _that door down."

It was one of the many mind over matter tricks Selina had been taught when she had been in Thailand. The power of the mind was far stronger than anything Elliot could do to her now. She felt the familiar rush of warmth as blood flowed to her calf muscles. She felt the surge of adrenaline as it pumped frantically around her body. She seemed to cease breathing and her heart slowed to a steady dull beat. She focussed her mind and then said aloud.

"We go on three...one...two..."

In union the two pairs of legs flung out with almighty strength and precision. Selina didn't feel the shock wave of pain coming in tremors down her bare legs. She felt sweat begin to drip down her neck. The door shook on its hinges, filling the room with a deafening thud.

"_Again_!" Holly said, her brows knitted so tightly that it had caused a furrow on her forehead. "One...two..."

This time the door splintered and cracked in the centre. There was a noise like hinges groaning and it miraculously came loose, falling in on itself. Selina sat fluidly and caught the heavy frame with her outstretched arms. The weight was too much and she staggered backwards, but Holly was able to take up the slack. Together they pushed the heavy door frame away, scrambling to their feet, their muscles weakened to a jelly state.

"You've got to get me out of these cuffs!" Holly said at last as Selina held her in place. Her friend was weakened from excursion and gently Selina pulled her over to Holly's couch, letting her rest there. Her own legs still bound, Selina began to fumble with the binds on her ankles, her fingers red and sore.

Holly fell back against the cushions and closed her eyes while Selina crawled her way across the apartment, to the open plan kitchen. She pulled herself up onto the Formica kitchen counter with arms like jelly, using it to lean as she began to rifle though Holly's kitchen draws. She found a kitchen knife and a pair of scissors. Baring her teeth in a grimace, she hopped onto one of the kitchen chairs and began to hack mercilessly away at the binds on her legs. She nicked her own flesh once or twice, but driven by adrenaline Selina kept on, her upper arms aching. Come on, _come on_, she willed herself silently, her breath coming in pants and sweat beads gathering on her forehead. At last she gave a silent cry for joy, kicking the rope free.

Jumping off the chair Selina stared down at her bloodied hands and at the tools she'd used to free herself, knowing they weren't going to cut though steel. "I need a wrench or something," she panted breathlessly, beginning to cross the room, stamping the blood back into her feet.

She didn't see the figure in the doorway until it was too late. Holly screamed and cowered where she sat and Elliot slammed the door shut behind him. He was still dusty from the explosion, his clothes hanging loose and damaged. His heartless blue eyes met Selina's across the room. Selina felt the life drain out of her legs as he held up a large, jagged hacksaw in his left hand and threw her a charmingly cruel smile.

"Will this do?" he asked her.

/

It was quiet in the lower vaults of Gotham's infamous MCU. After the upheaval in the reception area and poor Penny Tyler landing flat on her back with an unmasked Joker towering over her ready to throttle her and use her as leverage, Gordon felt that it was best to bring them both down here. Out of sight and spookily silent, the only sounds were the soft footfalls from the floors above.

Gordon stood, arms folded and his back pressed flat against the far left wall of the cell. His jacket was off and his sleeves rolled high, his tie loose around his neck. With his index finger he pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. On the right, the Bat stood, more blocking the door of the cell. He was intimidating and large, his form almost filling the door and the vast blackness of his suit a stark contrast to the illuminated white cell.

In the centre of the cell, on a fold out chair sat the Joker. Shoes missing, his hair standing up from his head like he'd been tasered, he leaned his elbows on his knees, staring blankly at the floor, his head dipped between his wide shoulders. The only sound in the room was him breathing, nosily and through his nose. Gordon wondered if the man even recognised the cell he was sitting in. It was the very one where all those years ago, a young man had slaughtered an innocent female officer.

"So..." Gordon kicked his foot back against the wall. "Are we going to do this _all_ night? Just sit and stare at one another?"

"He won't talk," Batman growled from the corner, his voice like grinding metal. "Not to us anyway."

Gordon kicked away from the wall, leaning down to the Joker's lowered head, a bold move on his part. The clown's fingers twitched on his knees at such proximity. "The woman you were with...where is she?"

The Joker clicked his tongue, not bothering to lift his head. "What makes you think I know? I didn't take her...you saw who did it."

"I saw him," Gordon agreed. "But you blew up that ballroom didn't you? He's one of your men."

Then the Joker slapped his knees, so hard that Gordon flinched and took a step away. The Joker lifted his eyes and fought back laughter. "As much as I would like to take the credit...I'm afraid on this occasion I can't. Not my bomb...not my plan," he shrugged his shoulders and leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "Sorry about that."

Batman swept into his line of vision and the Joker glared up at him greedily, drinking in his image, licking his dry lips. He smiled up at him eagerly as if expecting the Bat to attack. Instead he spoke in a low, gravelly voice.

"But you know him? Don't you?"

The Joker laughed. "Of course I know him! It's always worth getting to know your opponents no matter how unworthy they are...sometimes they just might surprise you...like tonight."

"Unworthy... of you? Or of her?"

The Joker stopped laughing, looking away in disgust. "Jeez...why don't we order in and all start talking about our feelings? I meant he's low class...underworld scum...always there lurking in the dark and slipping away like an eel. You'd never put a name to a single kill he'd made or any store he'd robbed. But he's always there. Low class...not like _us_." He gave the Bat a knowing wink.

"You mean he's not a freak," Gordon muttered and the Joker stung him with a black stare. His lips made a smacking noise and he looked at the wall.

"What is his name? Seeing as you know him so well?" Batman pursued as the Joker seemed to slip back into that void he'd been in only moments ago. The clown rolled his eyeballs theatrically.

"I'm more interested in what this woman has to do with it," Gordon slipped past the Bat, squatting down on his haunches in front of the clown, like an adult to a child. "You looked like you knew her pretty well?"

The Joker folded his arms and huffed. "It was just a dance."

Gordon shook his head and ignored the Bat's warning stare. Who knew where this line of questioning was heading? The Joker was already edgy, and it had taken him hours to calm down. It had taken six officers just to wrestle him into the back of the van at the party.

"Nah... You can't fool me. I know a connection when I see it and you two looked pretty darn close..."

The Joker began to grind his teeth. Above, the Bat stared down worriedly at the commissioner.

"Gordon..." but the older man held up his palm as is to silence him. The clown saw the gesture and snorted though his nose. The Bat stood back and inside Bruce willed himself to keep his cool. Gordon seemed to have an idea of where this was going and he knew he had to trust him, even if it meant dancing dangerously close to revealing Selina's secrets. Bruce's heart was hammering in his chest, while his gut churned. No matter what he had seen tonight, no matter that he was consumed with jealously and rage, he wanted Selina back safe. What happened to Rachel couldn't happen again to Selina.

"You seemed pretty upset when that guy hit her over the head and took her away. How do you feel now?"

The Joker lifted his eyes, revealing two black holes stretched over his irises. "_Pardon_ me_?_"

"How do you feel now? Sitting in here with us while she is..._god knows_ where with him? While he's doing...god knows _what _to her?"

The clown shifted in his seat, his breathing coming in short pants. "_You_..." he lifted his index finger and wagged it in his direction. "You're_ really_ starting to irritate me Jimmy...like a gnat in my ear..."

"Doesn't it _hurt _you more that she's with him? That right this minute he could be doing _anything _with her...and _you _can't do anything to stop it..."

"Stop it..." the Joker reached up and placed both palms over his face, wiping away the sweat on his brow, raking his blunt nails down the unmade up face that they were so used to. He left red scratch marks and began to rock in the chair. Once more he brought his hands up but clutched at his hair, his teeth wildly gnashing together.

"It must be awful to feel that..._helpless_ while she's locked away with him...and you cant intervene...you cant do anything to help her..."

The room almost shook with tension and at once the Joker burst, his rage exploding forth with all the might of molten lava destroying a village below a volcano. His eyes were hot and wild and he stood so abruptly, lunging for Gordon that the Bat barely had time to react. But he did. He struggled with the Joker's lithe frame on the floor, until he managed to grapple him into a choke hold.

The clown gripped the arms of his assailant, his voice like a mad man's as he spluttered curses and obscenities. Finally with the Bat holding him fast, his breathing shallowed and he was still. He hissed and spat through his yellowed teeth and the sight was more than terrifying. It was that kind of disturbing image that stayed with you right into the wee hours, while you tried to sleep, like watching a possession.

Gordon had stumbled back against the wall in the struggle, his own face pale and drawn at the almighty reaction he'd caused. He stayed put and sat up straight facing the clown, still slightly breathless.

"I _know_ who you are Joker," he told him quietly. "We've met before...although you may not remember. You were just a boy then."

The clown, still out of breath, sweat pouring off his face, leaned away from the Bat. He scuttled away into the corner of the cell and pulled his knees up to his chest. His eyes poked over his kneecaps and watched as Gordon lifted himself off the floor and then scraped the chair over to sit in front of him. Not unlike the pose that the Joker had been in only minutes before, Gordon rested his elbows on his knees, his head lowered between his shoulder blades, as though he were talking to a wilful, disobedient child.

"I was questioning you about a murder at the Gotham Fair. You didn't look dangerous enough to kill a mouse let alone a grown man twice your size. But I know now that you did."

The Joker gave him a mocking thumbs up gesture and a cracked smile. "Good job Jim. I guess that means you got me all figured out huh?"

"You were taken right out of your preschool playground when you were even smaller, sold onto Falcone and his sick gang. It was a miracle that you even survived that. But _here_ you are."

The Joker began to laugh again, raucous laughter that bubbled out of his throat. It was strange and almost sounded like crying. "Yeah..._here _I am."

"I don't care about curing you Joker...right now I'd be happy to see you locked away for the rest of your miserable life. I don't have hope like some of these crazy doctors do...that you can be saved. As far as I'm concerned you lost that hope after you murdered Rachel Dawes...after you drove Harvey Dent to his grave. But I want you to think about one thing."

Gordon was keenly aware of the Bat still standing close behind. Since the Joker's eruption he had remained calm and had said nothing, but his presence never the less was still reassuring.

The Joker looked up at Gordon through the strands of his matted blonde hair. He blinked as if to urge the commissioner to continue. "And what's that huh? Is this the father, son talk I never got to have? _Don't _pity me Jim. _Don't._"

The last word was a warning, that the next time he lost control; the Bat wouldn't be able to hold him back. Gordon unclasped his hands, his expression softening. "I was going to try and take care of you."

If the Joker's expression was on sale it would have been priceless. His eyes widened, too mortified to laugh and too shocked to be enraged. Instead he stared at the older man, baffled and a little incensed. Behind him, Gordon could almost hear the Bat's astonishment. Gordon smiled ruefully.

"The day we brought you in, when you were brought down here...I made a call. I was going to send you to Black gate but then I changed my mind. I thought that if I could protect you and get you to testify then we could have put Falcone behind bars...but then you murdered my officer and walked out of here never to be seen again."

When the Joker said nothing, too horrified to even form a sentence, it was Gordon's turn to laugh. He leaned a little closer to the clown, making his voice lower. "I _would _have looked after you. I would have_ helped _you. And who knows...you could have gone back to her, your pretty little playmate. You may even have been re homed together? You could have grown up together and your life..._my _life..._Gotham_ would have been a very different place right now. And even you...with all your bravado and all your bluster can't deny that that would have been a better place to be. And that's who _she _is isn't she? Your little friend? The one thing about you that makes you a man and not this monster you'd have us believe?"

"You made a bad choice and now you have to live with it. Because on that day you murdered an innocent woman who was planning on getting married and you started a whole chain reaction of events. You rammed a pencil into her skull and left her to bleed down here in this very cell. Not only did you take her life, but you destroyed her fiancé...her family..._forever._ And you can't ever take that back. And I want you to think about that when we lock you away...and be assured we _will l_ock you away. I wanted to leave you with the knowledge that all this...is because of you making the wrong choice. That you could have had a very different life, but now I don't _care_ enough to save you."

The Joker stared at him with glassy eyes, filled with malice and pain. He lifted his chin and propped it onto his arms. He seemed to need to clear his throat, which he did and spoke slowly without looking up again.

"They say there's no cure for a mad dog commissioner. The only thing you can do is to shoot 'em dead," his voice was miserable and flat, like all the song had been squeezed out of it. It was grounding to hear him speak in those tones.

Gordon sighed and wearily got to his feet. He almost flinched at the sight of the Bat so closely behind him, having temporarily forgotten he had been there at all. Together they pulled the cell door closed and it clanked shut. A few feet down the corridor Gordon broke the heavy silence that lingered between them.

"Did you see that?" Jim breathed excitedly. "All this time...we've built him up into this monster, like something out of a nightmare...and really, he's just a man in a clown costume."

Batman narrowed his eyes, his pupils like dots in a sea of white. "We've always known that. That's what the doctors at Arkham said last year when he was incarcerated. Doctors are itching to get their hands on him because they want the accolade when they cure him."

Jim rolled his eyes. "I know but you don't understand. I never really believed it before now. Now I _know_ we can fight him. We can fight a_ man_ and more importantly...we can _win._"

"I have an idea," Batman said, his voice quick and low. Gordon raised his eyebrows and exhaled loudly.

"Really? Good cause I'm exhausted."

The Bat paused and then leaned a little nearer.

"Well you won't like it..."he began. "But we need to let him go."

**Special thanks to:**

**The freelancer seal, Hoist the colours, may, Olivia, dance4life, jesusfreak100percent, endings matter most, yuki san 1, unearthing, I hart joker, x-gemarrr, Devon lizz, morgana chicka, kidocu, kyl, neq'alis, ennya, public humilaiation, yamira 1616, lightening flash, platinum 13, precious Raymond, vibra, sarafina Knowles and nhhanh 2406.**

**Thanks all!**


	36. To The Death

**Hi all! Thanks for the reviews guys. Hope you like this. It took a while. **

**To the Death**

It may have been the stark illumination of the lighting in corridors beneath the MCU, but Jim Gordon visibly paled. He twitched his moustache, his lips opening as if to speak. All he could do was stare in disbelief at his unlikely ally, a man unknown to him but for many months he had come to trust. Batman was wanted by the law and Jim had been hiding him for a long time, and above all he trusted this man's judgement. At least he had up until now.

"You want to let him go?" he hooked his thumbs in the pockets of his pants and stared miserably at the floor. "I can't...you _can't _ask me that."

The Batman stepped closer, his massive form towering over the older man. He shuddered slightly in his immense shadow. "I've never asked anything from you before."

Jim spluttered. "So this is a _favour_?" he shook his head firmly from left to right. "No. No absolutely not. We can find Selina Kyle our way. The normal way...we'll send out officers into every corner of the narrows, we'll do whatever it takes. I'm _not_ letting that man walk free!"

"The Joker said it himself...the man is an enigma. He's been living here all this time under our radar and we never even knew. The narrows are like a maze, we'd never know where to start looking."

His voice was urgent and low, but Gordon lifted his chin in defiance. "And _he_ does? What makes you so sure that's where he'll go?"

"I can assure you that's where he'll head first," Batman promised and Gordon exhaled loudly. "The Joker...like this man can disappear for months on end, never to be seen or heard from. If anyone could find him, the Joker could."

"It's too risky a bet," he shook his head, his voice raising an octave. "I'm not willing to take that chance. I can't be the one who let him go and I _won't _play that game with Gotham."

Batman grimaced, his lower teeth grinding against his top. Gordon could see that under the cowl the man was perspiring and he frowned deeply. There was more going on than the Bat was letting on.

He relented. "Say he did head straight for the woman. What then? You can't guarantee that'll you'll bring him back. We'd knowingly be putting a wanted criminal back out on the street to reoffend!"

Batman stepped away, keenly aware of Gordon's scrutiny. He stood firm with his hands on his hips. "I'll bring him back."

Gordon held up his hands. "Even _you _can't promise that. _No._ No I'm making the call on this one. If you want to help then get out there and look for her yourself. Help _my _officers. I'm not letting the Joker out of this prison cell. Find out who this man is and help me catch him. We already have one of the most dangerous men in America locked away and this new guy is gunning for second place."

The Bat exhaled sharply through his nose and turned, his boots heavy on the polished floor as he stalked out of the corridor, leaving the commissioner staring agape after him. Inside Bruce's blood was boiling. He knew that what he was asking was wrong. Ignoring the startled glances of the various officers he passed, he ran through the building, sending a mass of white paper up in the air as he brushed past the reception desk. He took the remote from his belt and at once the tumbler's massive roof began to slide open, with a mechanic cranking noise. He averted his eyes as passersby stopped and stared, pointing at the sight of a man encased in a black armoured suit that climbed over the top of the tank and slid into its interior. Inside the engine roared to life, the lid slowly closing. Bruce pressed the interior web cam system and dialled for home. He pulled the tumbler away from the kerb with an almighty roar and once out of sight, he pushed the mask free of his sweaty face.

At once Alfred's face appeared on the web cam screen, his forehead lined and his eyes tired. "How is the house looking?" Bruce mumbled tightly.

"Like someone let off a bomb," the older man joked dismally. "The last of the casualties have been taken to Gotham General. Did he talk?"

"No," Bruce replied thinly. "Jim Gordon thinks he's found a way to get through to him. He's a fool."

Alfred frowned. "He's also your friend. And about the only one you have right now."

"He wouldn't _listen _to me. I have to find Selina Alfred."

"I _know_," Alfred lowered his voice. "But I have some positive news. I ran our new friend's image through the face identification scanner Lucius devised and I came up with something interesting. I took the images off the security cameras; he wasn't too bright about staying hidden. He entered the house as one of the catering staff, and then he changed clothes later in the evening, into a waiter."

Bruce rolled his eyes angrily. "How long was he in my house?"

Alfred gritted his teeth. "Pretty much the whole night. When I looked at the footage, at one point during the evening our new friend was standing directly behind you, the commissioner...even Selina. And you never even knew he was there."

Bruce thought over the Joker's words to him earlier and shuddered.

_...always there lurking in the dark and slipping away like an eel. You'd never put a name to a single kill he'd made or any store he'd robbed. But he's always there. Low class...not like us."_

Bruce didn't know what disturbed him more, that the Joker was correct or that he put himself in the same class as the Batman. A high class criminal. Of course the Joker never really saw himself as a criminal as such, more like a servant of chaos. Bruce blinked, a headache suddenly forming at his temples.

"You said there was positive news?" Bruce prodded his old butler, not meaning to sound as annoyed as he felt.

"Ah yes, well I ran his face through the detection devise and came up with a match. He was incarcerated in Black gate Juvenile in his youth under the warden Rowan Briggs."

Bruce raised an eyebrow, realising that he was driving in circles and attracting quite some attention from passersby. He groaned and took the underpass, a vast expanse of road that ran under Gotham's streets and came up on the other side of the East river in the narrows. In the darkened tunnels, Bruce pulled the tank away from the road and took a side alley, bringing the car to a halt out of sight. "I know that name...Rowan Briggs?" he said again, temporarily forgetting that Alfred was still watching him from the monitor.

"He was before your time and unfortunately we had many dealings with him at Wayne Manor. If there was ever a dinner party, he'd turn up, usually drunk and with a young girl on each arm. He was an oaf of man but your father trusted him. He gave him so much money in the hope of building a hospital on site of Black gate to help young offenders. Later it turned out that Briggs had been selling his young inmates off to the Falcones. He left Gotham rather mysteriously but we all suspected that Carmine had him killed."

"And the boy?" Bruce became edgy.

"His name is Elliot Hunt. He was an inmate at Black gate until Briggs sold him off when he was eleven. "

Bruce shook his head. Carmine Falcone and his empire of terror. Suddenly he made the Joker look like a children's entertainer, well not quite. Bruce almost chuckled at that. But it was a stark reminder of all that had gone before. That the city he loved, that his father had lived for, had had its spine broken and its heart trampled on years before Batman had ever existed, and seemingly, before the Joker had come to town. Carmine had created criminals like the Joker. He had created Elliot. But sickeningly, he had also created Selina.

Bruce dwelled on the fight he and Selina had had the night he had found out her secret. She had tried to explain to him her humble beginnings, how hard her life had been and how easy it had been to turn to a life of crime. Bruce couldn't have understood then because he had been so desperate to believe that she was deluded, that she was protecting the Joker out of some sort of child hood dependency. But the truth was that Selina had been bred into that life, that really she had little choice.

Bruce had fought to understand the criminal mind back in the years before he had been trained by Henri Ducard. He had walked and lived and breathed among them and did understand the thrill of a crime. But there was always the aspect that he could have left it behind had he chosen to. That he only needed to make one call and Alfred would have flown half way across the world to come pick him up. Selina had never had that luxury. In her world it was kill or be killed, steal or starve. And that night he had looked down upon her, something which he bitterly regretted. She had revealed in that conversation that her friend, the Joker or Jack as rather she knew him had come from one of Falcone's sweat shops, that he too had been one of Carmine's boys.

Out of the ashes of a children's home had come two very different individuals, one of which Bruce cared deeply for. He suddenly felt a knot, tight and wedged in his gullet. Before he had known of her past, Bruce had envisioned Selina at Wayne Manor, at his side, in his bed. She was a strong, independent woman and he had hoped in her to find the companion he'd longed for in Rachel.

"What are you going to do?" Alfred's voice was still low on the monitor. Bruce's teeth clenched together painfully. Gordon was right. No matter how bad things got, he couldn't let the Joker out, not after everything. He pulled the tumbler out of its secure hiding spot and drove it terrifyingly fast into the centre of the city, twinkling lights dashing past at speed as he went.

"I'm going to Selina's home," he answered. Though what he expected to find there he didn't clarify to the older man.

"I'll keep looking here," Bruce nodded grimly and flicked off the monitor. He was about half a mile from Selina's building, his gut churning and breathing short and shallow. Finally he pulled the tumbler around the back of her building, into the darkened alley that he had used before. Outside the weather began to lightly beat down on his suit, his boots squeaking over the metal wrungs of the fire escape stairs. Her window was shut tight but there had been a light left on in her living room, narrowing his eyes he peered through the wet glass at the interior of her bedroom. He grabbed the seal, the wood slipping in his gloved fingers, but with a heave he yanked it open enough to slip through.

His boots landed with a thud on her cream carpet. His eyes scanned the room. There were several discarded shoes flung around the room, many clothes strung over the floor. He saw the open gown bag lying on her bed, averting his eyes at her open laundry basket and her used underwear stuffed in the top of it. He raised his brows, almost comically. Selina was a mess. Despite her immaculately flawless appearance, she sure was untidy.

Bruce felt warmth rushing to his face, feeling guilt course through him. He realised suddenly that she would be angry if she knew that he was here poking around. And he knew that he couldn't judge her. This was her home and the place where the real Selina came out of hiding. If anything, seeing her untidy half open draws and her unmade bed only made him want her more. Something cracked under his boot. He frowned, lifting it up to see a piece of glass glinting up at him in the darkness.

His eyes travelled upward and at once he spied the photo frame on the top of the dresser. The frame had been dropped and the glass cracked, the missing piece now in fragments under his boot. Carefully he lifted up the ruined frame and peered at the photo within. It was a candid shot of two women laughing and posing for the unknown photographer. One was Selina, her face stretched with a real, happy smile and the other was the woman he recognised from the gallery downstairs, her assistant.

Bruce's eyes widened and his heart sank. He suddenly knew where Elliot was and he hoped that he would find both women alive when he got there.

/

Gordon watched, defeated as the Batman stalked down the corridor, his cape flapping wildly around his legs as he went. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, the tired commissioner trudged back to the cell door, a little unprepared for what he was about to see. The Joker was leaning heavily against the thick steel bars, his head pressed between them, his arms dangling comically out before him. He grinned, more of a leer as Gordon stopped in front of the bars.

The Joker tutted and Gordon's stomach clenched, knowing that the clown had probably heard their heated discussion.

"What's up Jimmy? Lovers' quarrel?" the man's face cracked with a lecherous smile. "I sure didn't mean to come between you two...I know what a 'special' relationship you have."

The Joker's shoulders quivered with laughter and Gordon exhaled. "Very funny," he muttered.

The Joker's eyes brightened and he shook his head wildly from side to side. "If you ask me Jim...the Bat has finally gone _insane_. If I were you I wouldn't let _me_ out either." He pressed his temple to the bars, his eyes like coals in his head. "Especially..." he lowered his voice, the villainous smile suddenly lost. "Especially as the first thing I'd do...is go and pay a visit to that pretty wife of yours. She sure looked beautiful tonight..."

The corridor was suddenly so silent that it hit Gordon and made him shudder involuntarily. It was just him and the clown, no back up, no guards, just the two of them staring at each other through the bars. But then the Joker was_ behind_ the bars and Gordon had the key in the pocket of his pants. It made the older man feel a little more secure, albeit marginally.

Gordon folded his arms casually, trying to maintain that the clown's comment hadn't just shaken him to the core. "The Bat seems to think you'd go straight to the woman."

The Joker rolled his eyes, twitching his hands that were dangling out in front of him. "Well the Batman thinks he knows everything. He likes to think he has me pegged."

"And he doesn't?" Jim prompted and the clown cackled.

"Of _course_ not! I mean you gotta ask yourself...how well do we really know anybody? You don't even know who _he _is...and yet you would trust his judgement over all else. But you made the right choice tonight Jim. Bravo."

"I trust him," Jim agreed, sweat beads beginning to form on his temples. He noticed that it wasn't just him perspiring. The Joker's hair was flat to his head, his shirt darkened under his arms. "Because he's good."

The clown tutted. "Good? Well if you say so. There is good and evil in all of us commissioner, don't forget that. Bad people hide behind sweet smiles and trick you with lollipops. They take you away from your mommy and tell you that you can watch cartoons. Then they hurt you because they don't like to see you smile. And they suffocate you because they don't want to hear you laugh."

Breathing softly, Gordon took a step closer. Heat was rising under his collar but like a car wreck, he couldn't look away. He felt like an explorer on the brink of discovering something momentous. He softened his expression slightly, urging the Joker to continue with his eyes. Leaning his forehead against the bars, the clown seemed lost, his eyes clouded and teeth clenched tightly.

"They leave you in the dark. Then one by one they come for you and use you up. It hurts the first time and second time. But then it doesn't hurt anymore. They leave you in the dark and throw you a blanket. Then one day they carve your face...because they don't like it when you laugh..."

Without thought, Jim stepped nearer, so close that he could hear the Joker's soft, nasally breathing.

"Is that what happened to you?" the older man whispered. "Tell me..."

The Joker lifted his heavy lids. "No," his voice cracked. "Its what I'm going to do your _children_."

Then time seemed to slow down, in which Jim felt the tug of miserable disappointment. His foolishness swept over him in a wave and he was numb to prevent what happened. He saw the Joker's arm thrust through the bar, so quickly that it would have been missed if you had blinked. The Joker, with his eyes as red as a devil and his teeth bared in a snarl, wrapped his hand around the back of Gordon's neck and jerked him forward with such force that the older man smashed his forehead against one of the steel bars.

Like moving slowly through water, Gordon saw the bar coming at his face and squeezing his eyes shut, braced himself for the impact and the pain that seemed to split his skull in two. Dazed, he opened his eyes, but the clown was there and now had both his large dexterous hands around his throat, his thumbs pressing dangerously hard in his windpipe.

Gordon had never been this close to the clown and now he was closer than he ever wanted to be. From this distance he could see each pore on his face, every fleck in his brown eyes. They were hazel brown, not the dark pools that they appeared to be when he wore the makeup. His legs weakening, Gordon reached through the bars and grabbed a fistful of the man's ragged shirt, taking him down as his knees buckled, both of them face to face through the bars on their knees. Gordon realised dimly that he was choking. He felt the dizzying, weakness when you couldn't get your breath, that every cell in his body was being forcefully shut down. A terrified choke escaped his lips but the clown didn't loosen his grip.

Like a fish flapping about in a shallow pool, its mouth open and gasping for air, Gordon's lips parted but no air would come and the world suddenly started to go misty around the edges of his vision. He felt overwhelmed with grief, thinking of his young family, thinking how he had let them down. That he would never see his son grow up, or his daughter get married. And all the while, Gordon kept his eyes open, so his assailant may gaze deep within his soul.

"You know...in their dying moments...you see people for who they really are," the Joker whispered, his breath hot on Gordon's cool skin. "I see _you_...James Gordon."

With a final, tight squeeze the Joker released the dying man and let him snake through his fingers as his slipped to the floor. Inches from the bars the commissioner was unconscious and it was too easy for the Joker to reach through, patting down the man's leg until he found the set of keys hidden in the pocket. Licking his lips greedily, he crawled to his feet and hastily began to try the various keys in the locks, until at last one cranked open and with a hard shove the cell door slid open to the left, shoving the older man's lifeless body out of his path.

The Joker stretched out his arms and yawned dramatically as he sidestepped the unconscious body on the floor. Through narrowed eyes the clown peered down at him and then gave him a vicious kick to the ribs. There was a satisfying snapping noise and the Joker grinned, as one of Jim Gordon's ribs cracked from the force of the blow. Hands on his hips, the Joker leaned down and grabbed a fistful of the man's thinning hair, yanking him up so that he may hear the soft breathing of an unconscious man.

Good, he was still alive. He wasn't done with the idealistic cop just yet. The Joker released him and he sagged back to the tiled floor, his head lolling from side to side. The Joker heaved him over onto his side and felt down his pants leg until he grinned triumphantly. He pulled out the Beretta and stared at it admiringly; taking a moment to make sure it was loaded.

"I'll be taking this Jim...thank _you_," he whistled through his teeth and then for the third time in his life, prepared to walk out of the GCPD.

/

Selina felt the bile rise in her throat, a mild burning sensation in her chest as she stood squarely facing Elliot across the room. Her eyes darted back and forth. From this distance he could reach Holly first and she knew it. Adrenaline kicked in her muscles, making her legs twitch nervously. Her senses were invaded by a white hot fury and right now she thought she was strong enough to kill him with her bare hands.

On the couch, Holly made to move, sweat darkening the fabric of her shirt. In the doorway, Elliot dropped his hand that was gripping holding the hacksaw. He leered at the younger girl and laughed as she tried to move away. But he was too fast. Holly screamed as he grabbed a fistful of her brown hair, yanking her back against his chest, arching her throat at a vulnerable angle so that it was completely exposed.

Selina's legs weakened momentarily. "Don't!" she cried. Elliot was breathing erratically.

"But isn't this what you wanted sweetheart? A good old fashioned fight to the death. You should have thought about this before you shot me!"

Selina struggled to stay calm. "If you let her go now...I'll do whatever you want. I'll go anywhere you want to go," she knew she was desperately clutching at straws. Elliot looked sick and pale and the only thing he really desired was Selina dead at the bottom of a river somewhere. "We could pretend that this never happened...it would be like it always was..."

Elliot shook in anger and accidently nicked a line across Holly's pale flesh. Selina watched in horror as blood trickled down her neck. She exhaled, knowing that he hadn't cut her throat, not yet anyway. Her mouth filled with hot saliva and she was crying. "Elliot _please._.."

The deranged man wagged his head from side to side, his dirty blonde hair glinting in the light. "You think _that's_ what I want? To go back to that life where I had to constantly keep you in check...constantly watching you...it was _exhausting._"

"I don't _understand _what you want," Selina urged, taking a step nearer. "Why come here? Why do all of this? I said I'll do anything you want!"

He laughed and shook Holly like a ragdoll. She sobbed, her neck arched so far back that Selina could make out her throbbing pulse under the pale skin.

"Do you have any idea what I did for you Selina? How I saved you? That all I cared about was _keeping _you?"

Selina howled with laughter, which only seemed to enrage him more. "You saved me? Elliot...you sold me to your friends for money!"

"I did that to make you strong!" he barked furiously and Holly jumped in his arms, the hacksaw blade cutting dangerously deep into her skin. "And _look _at you now! When I met you, you were a scared little girl, frightened of her own shadow...dragged down by another little rat...it was so easy to get rid of her first, to make you believe me. You wanted her gone...she was dragging you down and you _knew_ it!"

Selina suddenly froze, stark realisation dawning on her. She felt as though someone had dunked her head in cold water. She remembered so very little of those early years but the night Suzie had been taken was something she tried not to think about. All this time she had been happy to believe that Suzie had been taken by the street gangs. Humiliation welled up in her throat and Elliot was staring at her triumphantly.

"Did a light bulb just go on in your head?" he joked nastily. "Are you really that _dumb_ that you didn't figure that out years ago? How the hell did you think they found us that night?"

Selina closed her eyes. "You tipped them off," she whispered, swallowing back tears.

"Well yeah...I was getting _paid_," he snorted. "She was my last job...when I met you...you were all I wanted."

Selina opened her eyes and wiped away angry tears with the back of her hand. "How _romantic!"_ she spat. "What happened to her?"

He pulled a face. "What usually happens to the kids that get left behind. The girls didn't usually get it as good as the boys. I didn't want that for you."

Selina took a step closer and Elliot jerked involuntarily. If he hadn't been nervous before, he was now. Selina's eyes were like pools of tar. Anger and fury ran through her veins like molten lava. In her tattered gown, dried blood on her dress and her hair practically standing out from her head, she almost appeared demonic. Inside she had finally broken, the last shred of humanity that made her Selina and not the Cat finally snapped in half.

Elliot had created this. He had created a monster and now he was going to pay for it. He would experience her strength and her anger first hand. She inched nearer, barefoot and bleeding and he sagged back against the door, carrying Holly with him.

"You have nowhere to go," she laughed. "You have nothing on me. If you so much as breathe on her again I'll make you wish you_ had_ left me behind."

"I saved you..." he floundered. "I could have left you but I didn't. I made you what you _are_!"

Selina curled her hands into fists and cocked her head, eyeing him like a bug. A movement she had picked up along the way. "You got me_ halfway_," she admitted through clenched teeth. "You made me scared and you hurt me. You showed me the cruel side of life. But I left you behind in the end...and this is what this is all about really isn't it? Because I left _you _behind!"

Then Elliot opened his mouth and roared. He threw Holly forward, her hands out open as she stumbled to her knees. With a thrust he brought the jagged blade of the hacksaw down on the joint between her collarbone and her shoulder. Blood sprayed the walls and the woman screamed. The blade sunk in deep and Elliot pulled it out, only to bring it down once more. This time Selina ploughed into him like a wrecking ball. The sheer force of their combined weight sent both them flying backwards, the door cracking under their bodies. Falling back, Selina opened her eyes to see that they had landed in the hallway outside Holly's apartment. In the struggle the saw had gone flying out of his hands, clattering in the echoic hallway of the apartment building.

Selina scrambled across the floor, straddling his waist before he had time to sit up. She grabbed the collar of his shirt and hauled his torso off the ground, then shoved his head down so hard that it cracked on the stone floor. Blood spilled out from around his head like a halo, but with what little strength he had, he snaked his hands up and encircled them around her throat. Selina struggled, cracking his head again for good measure.

It worked and his grip loosened, his hands slackening and falling back to his sides. Tears spilled out from under her lashes and she balled up her fists and began to pound it into his face. She felt the flesh and sinew of her hand beginning to open, but with what force she had left in her body she poured into Elliot's face. Under her fists, she felt his nose break, his jaw dislodge and his teeth snap in his head. Selina cried out but found herself unable to stop.

"You're ...never going to...hurt me again!" her voice was high and shrill, like a demonic banshee. Dull, splintering pain crept up her arms but she used the little wells of strength to keep going, almost as if her fists would plough straight through his skull. Blood oozed and well up from his mouth, he gurgled, his dull eyes staring up at her in wonder.

"There's my girl," he said, the words were barely audible on his swollen, bloodied lips. Selina sobbed, knowing that this was for Holly; it was for Tony and for Suzie. It was for Ally, Jonah and Hayley and Jack. It was for everything that she had lost and it was for everything that she could have been. This was her time now and she knew she had to end him.

Then someone grabbed her shoulders and yanked her backwards. She collided with a warm, hard body and a pair of arms encircled around her waist. She struggled in Bruce's arms and then went slack, her legs kicking out in despair. She sobbed but he only held her tighter.

"Let me go," she cried. "He'll just come back if I don't finish this."

Bruce's heart was almost broken in two. He buried his head in her matted hair, breathing hard on the back of her neck. "He won't get back up again Selina," he said in a low voice. "He's dead."

Selina squirmed in his arms and burst into tears. Roughly he turned her to face him and she buried her face in his chest, unable to breath, unable to think clearly. Every part of her hurt. She opened her eyes suddenly. "Holly!"

"I'm here," a weak voice called from inside the apartment. Selina pushed out of Bruce's grip and on her hands and knees crawled back inside the once homely apartment. Now furniture was upturned, there was blood everywhere and leaning on the couch was her best friend, blood pouring from the wound on her neck.

His boots thudding lightly against the cream carpet, Bruce crossed the room and gently lifted Holly into his arms. Even in her weakened state, the younger woman managed to look vaguely terrified as she was lifted off the ground. Her lips trembled and she held out her hand to Selina who was crossing the room towards her.

"It's alright," Selina promised closing her hand over her small one, all the hate and malice gone from her eyes. "I'm here."

"We need to get her to Gotham general," the Bat said gently, turning his eyes towards the body in the hallway. "And you need to get out of here before the cops show up."

Selina couldn't look at the body in the hall. She squeezed her eyes tight and swayed on her feet. She felt bile rise up and swallowed the urge to vomit. "I feel sick," she whispered.

"You've got to get out of here," Holly insisted, albeit weakly. "We'll be ok!"

There was a noise behind them in the hallway, a soft noise of footsteps sneaking their way towards them down the hall. Selina's eyes widened in terror, unprepared for the sight of the man who rounded the corner. Selina felt the Bat's arm tense under her hand, as one by one all three of them turned to gaze upon their visitor. The Joker stood casually in the doorway, staring down at the mashed up face that once belonged to Elliot Hunt.

His clothes tatty and shredded and his hair flat to his scalp with oil, he glanced up at the three of them, a peculiar smile crossing briefly over his features. He raised an eyebrow and cocked his head at the Beretta in his hand, then tucked it back in his pants pocket. He whistled through his teeth.

Selina was shaking with relief and the last flecks of adrenaline, her limbs twitchy and weak. She was overwhelmed at how relieved she was to see him, her heart swelling unexpectedly in her chest. He had come for her. She fought the urge to run to him, knowing that Bruce was staring at her profile, the heat of his eyes, burning her skin. He was waiting to see what she would do.

"Jack," her voice shook. It didn't sound like her voice anymore. "You're late."

He chuckled and clicked his tongue, his eyes darting momentarily to the Bat holding the bleeding woman. "Looks like you did fine on your own," he joked, glancing down at the bloodied form of the man on the ground. The Joker winced dramatically. "Remind me never to piss _you _off match girl!"

Holly blinked at Selina and mouthed the words 'match girl' with a puzzled look on her face. Selina rolled her eyes and mouthed back that she would explain another time. There was a bated silence, the loudest she had ever heard. Each of them looked at one another in turn, unsure of which direction to take or who was going to speak first.

Then the decision was made for them. The whole room was filled with a loud, whirring noise and through the small windows; the room became brightly lit with red search lights. The curtains began to billow up and it seemed that the whole room was shaking. Selina's ran to the window to see two massive BH Huey Police helicopters hovering dangerously close to the apartment building, their propellers whirring frantically. On board she could make out a man in a SWAT uniform, armed with a megaphone.

Selina threw the Joker a glare. "You brought the cops?" she accused and he held up his hands. "They followed you!"

The Joker had the decency to smile a little sheepishly. "Well I kind of_ nearly_ killed Gordon. My guess is that they're pissed."

Selina rolled her eyes at him. "Oh God," she wailed.

Selina became immediately aware of how dangerous this was about to become. Not only for her and for Jack, but for Bruce. He was still a wanted vigilante and caught in a trap like this, Gordon would have no choice but to bring him in. Then everything he had worked so hard for would be gone in seconds. Bruce Wayne would be exposed to the world as the Batman and his life would be over.

The Batman crossed the room, heading in the direction of the Joker. Unprepared the Joker staggered as Bruce dumped Holly in his arms. Bruce's teeth were clenched with fury and Holly squeaked at being passed about like a weak kitten. The Joker straightened but managed to hold onto her, she weighed practically nothing.

"You _did_ this," Batman seethed. "You're in it with us."

The Bat crossed the room to where Selina was gazing frantically out of the window, her hair blowing up around her face. He opened the window, letting in a waft of cool air, leaned his torso out, and craning his neck so that he may look up.

"I think we can get to the roof," Selina cried. "We can't lose them in here. They're probably already in the lobby!"

"There's fire escape stairs on the other side of the building," Holly piped up weakly. "If you get me there we can climb up."

"We can lose them in the alley below," Jack said. "Those alleys are too narrow for cop cars to get down."

The four of them looked at one another, their strange new alliance too bizarre to really comprehend. Selina felt the usual rush of warmth in her legs, the adrenaline surge as you prepared for a fight. She didn't know why she had fought it all these years. This was her. She was the Cat. Forever a criminal and forever on the run.

"Ok..." she bared her teeth. "Let's get out of here!"

**A/N hope you liked that! Just a quick note to say that I hope you were all ok with the timing aspect of this chapter. I had difficulty in trying to get it right. The scene with the Joker and Gordon happens as the Batman is leaving for Selina's apartment. So really the Joker and Batman are pretty much hot on each other's heels.**


	37. The Choice

**Hi all sorry for the delay. This is a marathon chapter I'm afraid and you'll have to let me know what you think. To all of you who have reviewed recently thank you so much and I'm sorry that I do not often get a chance to reply to all of them. My work at the moment has been really full on and sadly as it's my income (dammit) it has to come first. I really enjoyed writing this and loved the chance to do a real action packed chapter. Hope you like and remember to leave me your thoughts! XX**

**The Choice**

Selina crossed the room, feeling the heat from Holly's apartment lights beating down on her brow. Feverishly, she reached the Joker, who was still carrying the younger, bleeding woman, albeit grudgingly in his arms. Wetting her dry lips, Selina lifted Holly's stained shirt away from the deep laceration across her shoulder blade, hearing her breathing coming in short pants.

"I need to staunch that bleeding," Selina whispered more to herself as she urged the Joker in the direction of the couch. "We can't go anywhere with her bleeding like that."

He huffed through his teeth, and rolled his eyes. Reluctantly moving in the direction she was pulling him. Across the room, the Bat watched in morbid curiosity as the clown lowered Holly unceremoniously onto the couch, letting her land on her bottom with a thud. She whimpered and Selina shot him a fierce glare.

"Be careful!" she hissed at him, her eyes taking on that same black look that had possessed them only a short while back. Sickly, Selina fought down her nerves, her green eyes carefully avoiding the body in the hall. Elliot's lifeless form was partially lying over the top of the caved in door, half in the hall and his lower half inside the doorway. She shuddered, remembering the way it had felt when his face began to cave in under her fists, how his bones had cracked and broken.

Selina looked up to see that she was being stared at by three sets of eyes and she blinked back the wetness gathering on her lashes. "Alright," she said, again to no one in particular. She took the hem of her gown and ripped the fabric upwards, tearing off enough to make a bandage. She heard Holly's sharp intake of breath.

"Selina...your dress!" she wailed and Selina found herself smiling at her friend.

"I think this one's a goner Hols," she joked casually. She leaned across Holly and began to tightly wind the satin around her shoulder, tying it in a secure knot under her arm. "That feel ok?"

Holly's face was deathly pale and waxen. She looked sick and exhausted, but weakly she managed a small smile. "Its fine," she said, breathing hard.

At once the room was filled with light, the deafening noise of the chopper hovering closely making them all straighten up. The Bat crossed the room swiftly and flicked the light switch, plunging the room into darkness. Selina felt in the dark for Holly's hand, but jerked reflexively when she found Jack's shoulder. She could hear him breathing close by and it was almost comforting. A beam of light passed over them and only inches away, the Bat stood above them and in the darkness he appeared more intimidating than ever. Miserably, Selina let her hand slip away from his shoulder, letting it fall to her side.

"We have to go now," he growled. Selina watched as Jack reluctantly dipped his back slightly to take Holly but she inched away.

"I can walk," she insisted. Jack shrugged and let her stand on her own. Holly took about two slow steps and then her knees buckled. Selina looked on, surprised as Jack caught her, deftly lifting her feet away from the floor and up into his arms. He shot her a fierce look, almost daring her to snake her arms around his neck, but cautiously, she did it.

"Way to waste some time," he snarled and Holly leaned away from him fearfully.

Batman stalked towards the door, his narrow beam of light leading the way. Carefully he stepped over Elliot's body and wincing Selina did the same. All three of them were out in the hall, the noise from the police chopper getting deafeningly louder. Suddenly another apartment door in the hall clanged open and an elderly woman stepped out into the hall. Selina watched in horror as her mouth widened and she let out a shriek to wake the dead.

Selina grabbed a fistful of the older woman's dressing gown and forced her back inside the apartment. _"Stay in there!"_ she yelled, before slamming the door in the woman's frightened face.

Unfortunately she wasn't the only one. It seemed that the entire floor were now ready to venture outside their locked doors and take a look at what had been going on. One middle aged man with black hair took one look at the body and then at the Bat and began to yell out frantically.

"Jesus!" Jack hissed through his teeth. He backed up against a wall as the Bat pushed past him, swaying lightly on his feet, burdened by Holly's weight. His arms began to ache but he said nothing, just simply shifted her around in his arms to adjust the load. He glanced down at her, pinning her with an angry stare but only found she was staring back at him with as much annoyance as she could muster.

The Bat took the man by the arm and propelled him back inside his apartment. Selina was beginning to sweat, as one by one doors opened and then slammed shut, heads poking out to see what was going on. She caught the Bat's eyes. "We aren't going to make it to the stairs at this rate," she breathed heavily.

Suddenly there was a noise that was different from the sound of the whirring chopper blades that was filling the narrow space of the apartment hall. It was like a rumbling, getting louder and louder by the second. Like heavy boots on concrete.

"Back!" Selina yelled, her eyes widening. "Cops!" At once they all turned on their heels and began to run back in the direction they had just come.

Jack was the first one back inside the apartment door, taking a large step over Elliot's bloodied form. He reached the couch and let Holly fall away from him, tumbling easily out of his grip. Flexing his aching g shoulders, he waited for Selina who was the last one in the door before kicking Elliot off the broken door that he was currently splayed across.

Selina watched with a furrowed brow, her heart straining under her ribs as the body of her old lover rolled free. Jack hauled the door up by its hinges and rammed it into place. The rumbling grew louder and was now clearly the noise of several armed officers running down the carpeted hall, their boots thudding as they went. Jack threw a furious glance at the Bat.

"You gonna help me?" he snarled through his teeth, but the Bat was already at his side. Grunting and huffing, the two of them dragged Holly's pine dresser across the floor, wedging it firmly in front of the door.

It struck Selina at once how real this was. She could taste the blood in her mouth and could feel the nerves building in her stomach. They all had to get out of here and fast. Her mind wouldn't work quickly enough and she was losing her steel like control. She closed her eyes briefly, only to open them seconds later to survey the scene around her. The officers were using the ends of their rifles to prise the door open, their gloved hands trying to sneak around the frame, there was much shouting and cursing to accompany it. She blinked and saw Jack slam his shoulder against the door with a feral growl, trapping the hand of one of them. Behind the door, a man howled in pain. Then Jack pulled out his knife, flicking it free of its case. Teeth bared he brought back his arm, ready to force the knife through the palm of the trapped officer. But instead the Bat caught his wrist mid lunge and forced his arm up painfully behind his back.

"Don't you even think about it," the Bat seethed and Jack laughed up at him, shaking his head from side to side.

"So incorruptible aren't you? Such a good boy...even when they'd do it to you if they had half the chance!"

"They aren't going to get one," the Bat tossed him free and the clown sagged limply on the floor. Under his cowl he was sweating but he met Selina's eyes. "Is there another way out of here?"

Selina opened her lips weakly but it was Holly who spoke. "There's a drainage pipe outside my bedroom window..."

"That'll have to do," he nodded flicking his eyes back to Selina. "I can climb...and I know _you _can. What about him?"

Exhausted and pale, Jack climbed to his feet, running a hand through his damp hair. "Don't you worry about me, bats. I can handle myself."

"This the Gotham City Police...open up clown!" came a voice on a megaphone, which startled them all into silence. Outside the door, the other officers were still busy trying to barge in. The chopper flew dangerously near the kitchen window, making the curtains swoop inward. "The whole building is surrounded!"

Holly stood up weakly and the Bat lifted her into his arms. He looked at her with what might have been a wry smile on his lips. Mesmerised and a little dazed from blood loss, Holly gazed back up at him.

"You think you can hold onto me?" he asked and she smiled.

"I'll give it a try," she wound her arms about his neck, breathing shallow and raspy.

"Holly," Selina yelped as the younger woman's head lolled against the bat's chest.

Gently, he nudged her away. "Its probably better that she's unconscious."

Selina bit her lip and nodded. At once they were all on the move. Selina led the way into Holly's darkened bedroom, not pausing until she reached the heavily framed window ledge. Selina gripped the ledge and hauled it upwards, cool air rushing in to greet her hot skin. She leaned her torso out of the window, noting that the chopper was still on the kitchen side of the building. Holly lived in the corner apartment of one of Gotham's oldest brownstones. If the chopper darted left, they would be easily exposed. Selina didn't hold out much hope of reaching the roof in time.

She looked at the lead pipe that reached all the way to the top of the building. Either side of the pipe were thick metal rungs which she knew she could easily climb, but not so easily barefoot. Her eyes glanced downwards to the alley below, which was filled with cop cars, their sirens blaring. She felt someone move next to her and bump her shoulder. Selina turned and met Jack's eyes. He was grinning, his lips stretched out in a barbaric grin. She realised that he was suddenly enjoying himself.

"The only way is up, match girl," he joked. Selina swallowed and pulled her torso out of the window and for a perilous moment she was hanging by her fingers on the rungs, until she managed to grip her toes onto the ones below. A gust of wind blew up her dress whipping it up, hindering her legs as she tried to climb. Her biceps were hot under the strain and she felt cool sweat dripping down between her shoulder blades. But at once she was moving, fast and fluid, her body knowing how to handle a building like this.

She looked down under her arm and watched as the Bat climbed out next; Holly firmly planted across his shoulders. She could see he was struggling under the weight, his teeth clenched tightly. It wasn't too long before he was hot on her heels. Last of all, Jack snaked out of the window, his boots squeaking on the metal rungs.

Selina took a breath and told herself to keep going, knowing she was nearly at the top. Her arms began to tremble under the strain, every muscle she possessed screaming for respite. Her lungs straining, she collapsed like jelly as she crawled across the brickwork. Her breath was cold in her chest and it took a moment to re-adjust, she felt slightly euphoric and terrified at the same time. Moments later, the Bat was beside her, laying Holly down gently on the concrete.

He fought to regain his own breath, his dark eyes meeting Selina's across the tiles. He crawled towards her and Selina didn't have the strength to push him away when he took her face in his hands, pulling her closer. His breath was hot on her cheek and she didn't stop him when he kissed her jaw feverishly working his way to her mouth, his lips wet on her dry ones.

When he pulled away, her eyes were glassy and confused. "I didn't think I'd get to do that again," his voice was low, but distinctly his own and Selina felt a rush of warmth, wishing desperately that they were anywhere but on this rooftop.

"I'm sorry," she blinked back tears. "I'm so sorry for everything."

She pressed her forehead against his. "It's not too late to make the right choice," he whispered and she opened her eyes like she'd been slapped. His were open too, like pools of darkest night gazing back at her, willing her to understand.

Confused, she shook her head, opening her mouth. "No...please don't ask me again..."

At once she realised that they were being observed, a lone figure appearing in her peripheral vision. Her breath caught in her throat, her cheeks going the colour of scarlet. Against the night sky, Jack had been watching them, his head curiously tilted, his lips pursed. Selina knew how the scene must have looked and at once she felt wretched and sick. She pulled out of Bruce's arms and fell back on her knees.

She looked away from him but it was too late. She had caught the look in his eyes. It was the same one from years ago, when he'd stood at the foot of the stairs in Humberside and held out his hand to her and asked her if she was going to come up with him. It was earnest, slightly crestfallen and somewhat resigned. It was pure disappointment. Swallowing back shame, she found words bubbling up her throat though she didn't understand why. Then it was suddenly too late for anything. Jack's silhouette was illuminated in the darkness by the lights of the chopper that rose up behind him. He ducked, his arms rising up over his head, the whole rooftop blowing up like a tornado had hit it.

"Get down!" she yelled, pinning her own form flat to the tiles as the chopper swooped over their heads. He was suddenly down beside her, giggling and rolling onto his back.

The helicopter turned midair, lunging down once more, its search lights beaming down on them in the darkness. Selina felt someone grip her wrist and Jack was pulling her to her feet. Then he did something unexpected. He pulled out the Beretta from his jacket and twisted her around so that her back was squashed firmly against his chest and then he shoved the gun to her temple.

Losing her balance, she was forced backwards. "What are you doing?" she yelled.

"Being the bad guy," he hissed into her ear as the chopper hovered dangerously close, the beam of light finding them. The door of the helicopter was open and a man clad in black uniform sitting with one leg balanced on the railing below. He lifted the megaphone.

"Joker...release the woman!" he barked into the device. The Joker licked his lips and laughed, pulling Selina back with him as he walked, the gun digging painfully into her skull. He cast a glance over his shoulder and saw the Bat take up Holly again in the darkness. The younger woman was coming to and held onto him tightly as he ran across the roof with her.

The Joker waited until he was out of sight, his cape disappearing into the shadows before he took the gun, aimed it squarely at the chopper and fired. Selina gripped his forearm, the bullet cracking through the night sky and his laughter exploding in her ear. She rocked back on her heels, wrestling free of his grip, whirring to face him, her hair whipping about her face. The chopper dived left away from the building and prepared to turn.

"What the hell...?" she cried angrily. He leaned forward and slapped his knee.

"That'll have pissed em off don't you think?" he cackled, grabbing her hand, just as the chopper dived over their heads. The sky lit up with searchlights, frantically chasing them across the rooftop as they ran. Then the machine diving dangerously close above them began to shower bullets down upon their trail. The tiles pinged and shattered, the bullets missing them narrowly. To the men in the chopper it appeared that the Joker was dragging the woman along and they weren't aiming to hit her. They had Gordon's orders, take the Joker, dead or alive.

They ducked left and right, both panting and exhausted. Selina's legs were trembling and the soles of her feet burning. They were running out of roof. Selina's breath caught in her throat seeing the lip of the roof coming closer by the second. Jack saw it to. Inhaling sharply, Selina quickly judged the gap from the edge to the next building. She gripped Jack's arm and began to run faster.

"We can do it!" she yelled. "We can jump it!"

His fingers linked with her own, she could feel the heat radiating from them. Their eyes met briefly and for the briefest second she saw the uncertainty there, the fear very real and very raw on his face. He nodded and they picked up speed. With her free hand, Selina lifted the torn hem of her dress, her heart thudding as her bare foot reached the edge, feeling the adrenaline kick through her system as holding his hand, and they launched into the air.

In those moments before she hit the other side, everything seemed to go silent and strangely slow. She felt the wind rushing through her hair. The freeing sensation of falling through the night was intoxicating. Now she was unstoppable. She was unbreakable. And she was taking him along for the ride.

Then her feet hit the sloped tiles on the other side, the impact causing pain to ripple up her legs like a shockwave. Her toes splayed for grip but she cried out and flung her body forward, seizing the clay tiling, letting go of Jack's hand. Selina felt him land next to her; she heard the crash as his body hit the tiles with such a force that it dislodged her balance. She lost her grip and hurtled down past him.

"Jack!" she screamed, feeling his fingers dig into her forearm. He held her fast, his hand clammy but strong. "I'm going to fall!"

He grunted and pulled her up, wrapping his arm under her. Breathing hard, she buried her face in his shirt front, paralysed and frightened. "I've got you," he grinned at her.

"We have to move," she hissed. "We're sitting ducks like this."

Like an old enemy, the chopper reared up and dived over them. Bullets began to ping at the tiles either side of them, causing them to shatter and slide. The roof began to tremble and all at once they were sliding, the tiles acting like a sledge. With both of them scrambling for hold, the roof seemed to fall away and at once both of them were sliding into the air. Selina didn't have time to scream. She let her arms stretch out ahead of her, her hair and her dress whipping up as she plummeted to the alley way below.

She saw the ground fast approaching, feeling water leak from the corners of her eyes. It was going to be quick at least. She inhaled. The night was moving too quickly to breath, to quickly to think. Suddenly a figure broke through the night, hurtling in her direction. Batman was there, his arms around her; they jolted and almost stopped mid air, his cape extending out like a bird as they glided to the wet alley below. They hit the concrete and rolled and Selina opened her eyes. The Bat was on his feet. He took a gun from his belt and fired it into the air.

Before the Joker could hit the ground, he managed to hit a fire escape stair well. Selina saw his body roll from the metal stairs and his behind jerk up into the air. The Bat had hooked him over the fire escape and lowered him into the alley, not as gracefully or as gently as he had lowered Selina.

He landed with a thud and a loud groan. On trembly legs Selina got up, arching her neck to survey the skies. The chopper was frantically searching for them above and in the distance sirens were coming closer. Selina then realised she was missing someone and began to whirl about anxiously.

"Holly?" she cried. "Where is she?"

"I'm alright," came a small voice behind her and Selina hugged her friend tightly, resisting the urge to burst into tears. "I'm Ok Selina...but I really need a hospital!"

"You should both go," Batman's voice shook with tension. Selina stared at him dumbfounded and then at Jack who was struggling to get to his feet. His body had hit that stairwell with such a force that Selina thought he must have broken a couple of ribs on the way down. He looked pale and wrung out, his breathing raspy between muffled bursts of laughter.

Selina was suddenly frozen to the spot as if her feet had taken root. She watched as he painfully climbed to his feet and knew at once that she couldn't leave him.

"What are you going to do?" she looked to the Bat, her voice low. He shook his head.

"Selina...you know I have to take him in," he growled. "Get out of here while you have the chance."

The Joker looked down at his rumpled suit and comically brushed off any debris dust, straightening his shirt. He rolled his head on his neck and then winced in pain, hissing through his teeth. He dropped to one knee and laughed, holding his ribcage. "You need to work on your landings," he groaned, letting out a sigh of pain.

Selina began to tremble, feeling Bruce's eyes on her and willed her refusal back at him.

"Selina..._go_!" he said again, his voice a warning. He was tired of this game now. Selina could feel the cruel breath of time upon her. The sirens were getting closer, time was running out and Holly was injured. She looked from Bruce to Jack and then back again. She balled her fists and wanted to cry. Jack got to his feet once more, swaying dangerously and at once the Bat made a lunge for him.

But Selina got in his way. She braced herself for the impact, her small hands hitting his chest. She grabbed his midsection and they both fell, arms and legs scrambling in the air. She heard Bruce's howl of anger and felt his resistance to fight her. But Selina clung on to him, rolling him onto his back and straddling his chest. She looked up and saw both Holly and Jack staring at her in bewilderment.

"Get out of here!" she screamed to Jack. "Go..._Go!_"

And like that moment on the roof where time seemed to stand still, she met his dark eyes and thought that this might be the last time she would see them. She had now officially lost everything. Bruce would never forgive her for this; Holly would think she was insane. And she was doing it for him.

Bruce took her by the shoulders and forced her face down in the wet concrete, her chin snapping the ground. She craned her neck in the direction of the Joker, who was still staring at the scrabbling couple on the ground. She put as much fury into her eyes as she could muster. "Run you idiot..._run_!"

"Don't go far," the Bat snarled, lifting his torso to reach for his belt. It was at that moment something extraordinary happened. Holly who had been watching the whole scene, her face a mash of terror and wonder began to run woodenly towards the fight. Selina grimaced, Bruce's armour digging uncomfortably into her flesh as she tried to turn. She managed to right hook him from her position, catching him on the jaw. He gritted his teeth and tried to reach for his belt again. He didn't see Holly until he felt her land on his back.

The younger woman grappled him around the neck, seizing him so fiercely that it took him completely by surprise and to his horror he couldn't seem to wrestle her away. Holly clung on, flinging her arms around his neck, wrapping them so tightly that it looked like a choke hold. Selina stared up them both open mouthed.

Holly opened her eyes, terrified and shaking, but with a new ferocity clenched her teeth together before shouting. "You heard her..._get out of here!"_

The Joker didn't need any more persuading. With a last glance at Selina, who was trying to wrestle the Bat to the ground, he turned and took off down the alley, his shoes slapping through puddles as he went. When Selina looked up, he had vanished. She sagged back to the ground, exhausted and panting for breath.

Humiliated, Bruce shook Holly free and she landed on her bottom with an oomph noise. She was wild eyed and red faced, hardly able to believe what she had just done. Bruce got to his feet, breathing hard. He turned away from both woman and without speaking, slammed his fist into the wall behind him. He yelled in anger and threw his venomous stare back at Selina, who had crawled across the concrete to her friend. Holly was limp in her arms, like a sodden rag doll.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Bruce howled, his voice erupting like molten lava, it was dangerous enough to make both women shudder.

"Making a choice," Selina looked away. "You wouldn't understand."

"You're right about that!" he exploded. "I don't understand why you let a wanted killer walk away. I promised Gordon I would bring him in."

"Well why you don't run after him!" Selina snapped irritably. "He couldn't have gotten far."

Bruce collapsed against the wall, rubbing his knuckles. For a moment nobody spoke, they were too wrung out. Selina hurt everywhere and was aware that Holly was slowly fading away. She needed to get her to a hospital. Then the silence was pieced by the sound of cop cars heading in their direction. Bruce kicked away from the wall and Selina knew that he was going to leave them.

He took a hook from his belt and shot it upward into the night sky so that it coiled around the set of stairs on the right side of the building. His cape breezed past them as he strolled past, his boots crunching heavily on the pavement. Selina felt her throat swell and caught the edge of his cape with her outstretched fingers, making him look down at her on the ground.

"I really am sorry," she whispered.

He shook his head. "Not as sorry as I am," he growled before letting go of the clip and shooting upwards into the night. Holly had passed out, her head lolling around in Selina's lap. She looked pale and weak; Selina stroked her friend's matted hair away from her face and began to cry.

A squad car screeched down the tight alley, stopping feet from them. Selina crossed her forearm over her eyes, the light making her pupils contract. The door slammed open and six armed men spilled out into the alley. They held up their rifles, their flashlights searching them out in the darkness, finally landing on the two injured women.

"M'am...are you alright?" a female officer landed on her knees next to them and frantically began to check over Holly. She pointed her chin to her chest and began to talk into a receiver pinned to her uniform. "Get us an ambulance down here!"

She looked at Selina. "Are you alright?"

Selina swallowed. "I'm fine...but my friend..."

"We're going to take care of her don't you worry...m'am...where is he?"

Selina blinked, feeling suddenly fuzzy and disorientated. "Who...?"

"The Joker miss...where is he?"

Selina could feel her throat swell again. "He's gone," she whispered. "He's gone."

/

Selina woke up only hours later, shivering and feeling the cold chilling her bare feet. She huddled further into the scratchy hospital blanket that had been woven around her shoulders in the ambulance. Like waking from a long sleep, Selina stretched her arms out and remembered where she was. With her legs curled under her like a child, she realised she had fallen asleep in the hospital room where Holly had been admitted. The clock above the door read that it was six thirty in the morning. Selina swallowed her stale saliva, feeling dirty and bedraggled.

Selina glanced over at the bed and saw her friend was still sleeping soundly. She was tucked up under several layers, hooked to a drip and horribly pale. But the doctors had reassured Selina that she would be just fine.

Selina liked the quiet of the room, her ears ringing lightly from all the noise and commotion she had been exposed to this evening. Still barefooted, she padded across the room, letting the blanket fall across the arm of the chair. Holly's lip was bruised and swollen and the whole of her left side of her face was a garish purple. She leaned over her and smoothed the tangled hair across her friend's forehead.

She heard light footsteps behind her and flinched. Turning quickly she saw the commissioner standing in the doorway, his coat folded across his arm. Instantly Selina noted the finger marks around his neck, the high collar of his shirt not doing a good job of concealing it. His skin was ashen, but his expression gentle.

Selina straightened and fixed a smile on her face. "Commissioner...what are you doing here?"

Of course Selina knew what he was doing here. She wasn't an idiot. She had just hoped that she might have had more time before the cops came asking her questions.

He stepped through the threshold and smiled grimly. "I apologise for having to barge in like this after all you've been through tonight..."

Selina waved her hand in the air. "Don't be silly!"

"You understand of course that I need to get a few things straightened out. Certain facts have come to light recently and your name seems to be at the centre of most of them."

Selina's heart sped up but she kept smiling. "It's no problem. I'm sure you have a few questions. Do you mind if I get washed up a little? I look a fright!"

Bashfully he smiled and she chuckled. "I'll wait for you in the restaurant."

Glancing quickly at Holly, Selina ducked into her ensuite bathroom, a chilly, sterile white room with a shower, toilet and sink. Under the glaring lights, Selina examined her face and splashed it with cool water. She took a little of the toothpaste that one of the nurses had left for Holly and unwrapped the sterile brush. She gave them a quick clean, rinsing out her mouth and wishing that she had some makeup. Her mascara was a mess and her lips still a stained cherry red. Under this lighting she could see every line of her twenty seven years. Every mark and every blemish. Sighing she wrapped a hospital dressing gown around her, covering what remained of her evening gown.

As she strolled down the corridor to the restaurant, she forced her heart to beat at a normal pace. She felt sick and faint with nerves but told herself to keep it in check. She saw him sitting with his coat across the table, a Styrofoam cup in front of him. He looked up and smiled when he saw her, getting to his feet to pull out a chair.

As gracefully as she could manage, Selina slid into it and he pushed the hot, steaming mug towards her. "I bet you need something to drink?" he said gently and Selina wrapped her fingers around the cup, feeling its warmth.

She sniffed it, wrinkled her nose and put it back down. It was only cheap hospital coffee but it was enough to make her gag. "Thanks...but I'll probably throw it up. My stomach's in knots."

He smiled. "That's alright. How's your friend?"

She exhaled, reaching her hand onto the table top, and drumming the surface lightly with her fingers. "She'll be ok. But...she's pretty beaten up."

Gordon leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table top, the look on his face sincere and earnest. "So...can you tell me much about this mystery guy? I've had trouble finding anything on him."

Selina raised her eyes. "You mean Elliot. Well, you know about as much as I do I'm afraid."

Gordon laughed. "Well he certainly knew about you. Enough to kidnap your friend and blow up Wayne Manor?"

Selina began to drum her fingers, keeping her gaze neutral and icy cool. One, two, three. The beat caught him off guard and he stared at her outstretched hand, raising his own brows. Then he smiled unusually, as if he'd been enjoying some private joke.

"He was an ex boyfriend. I met him on the streets and we went to London together. I guess that you've figured that out about me now? That I come from the street?"

She didn't want to keep talking about Elliot. Talking about him and what he'd taught her would only lead to her recent misdemeanours. She held Gordon's gaze and he was amazed at how cold her eyes could be and yet how her smile appeared so inviting. She was very good at deflection, he decided.

Slowly, he nodded. "I know some things. I know you were taken to Humberside Children's home when you were small and ran away after the fire when you were about eight," he recited.

"Nine, actually," Selina corrected him and he titled his head in a nod.

"What about him though? This _Elliot_?" Gordon prodded and Selina rolled her eyes, almost laughing.

"What can I say to you? _Crazy _ex boyfriend. He never let me out of his sight. He bullied me, hurt me and beat me for years until I ran away. But he always came looking. _Always._ And now...he's dead."

Gordon shifted at her tone, suddenly a little uncomfortable. "Who killed him?"

Selina felt her stomach clench with guilt. Her eyes grew watery. "The Joker did," she answered.

Gordon was staring at her hands and she drew them back under the table, hiding her bloodied knuckles. "How did you do that?" he asked stiffly and Selina cleared her throat.

"I had to fight Elliot off somehow...he was hurting my friend. I couldn't just stand there. Then the Joker...well he must have finished him off."

At this Gordon leaned across the table, clasping his hands together eagerly. "And that's another _whole _set of questions...you _are _that girl from the children's home. All those years ago you were in that office at the GCPD...a little girl, beaten about after that caravan fire. And here you are now and it's as if nothing's changed."

Selina chuckled lightly. "Oh I think I have," she whispered.

"What's the connection between you and the Joker? What do you know about him?" he fired at her.

Selina's lips curled around her words, running them very carefully through her head before she spoke. "That day at Wayne Manor...when you took him away? That was the last time I saw him until recently. We didn't see one another for nearly twenty years. There is no _connection_."

"When was the first time you saw him after that?" Jim prodded and Selina flinched as though he'd touched her physically.

"I saw him at the fundraiser for Harvey Dent. Then at the trial."

"I remember you said that you were there to see that he was convicted...that your brother...had been on one of the ferries? So that was a lie."

Selina arched an eyebrow in his direction. "The_ second_ part was a lie. But that _was_ why I was there. But he saw me and when he escaped..."

"He became obsessed with you," Gordon finished her sentence fluidly and Selina snapped her mouth shut. She felt wretched for lying about Jack, but she thought that somehow if he knew, he probably wouldn't have minded.

There was a brief silence and then the older man spoke. "You'll have to clear this up for me. I saw you two at the Wayne party...dancing together. And it didn't look to me like you were rushing to get away? In fact it appeared quite the opposite."

Selina pursed her lips and then stretched them into a smile. "I was frightened of him," she said.

Gordon flinched. This woman, with her black stare and fixed smile didn't appear to be frightened of anything. But he could believe that maybe she had been faking it to get away. In his years as an officer he'd seen many different reactions on the people he interviewed. And many women, especially abused ones, could sometimes appear distant and cold. It was their coping mechanism.

He realised quickly that this was her game face. It was a face of someone who was completely aloof. Someone you'd never quite figure out and it was those types that at once fascinated and irritated him. She reminded him of the Joker. Then her face softened, her features relaxing and he was reminded of the child he had briefly known all those years ago.

Then he came to another question he wanted to ask. "When you spoke with him...did he mention anyone else that he may have been working with?"

Selina cocked her head. "Like who?"

"Well I'm sure it hasn't escaped your notice that the Falcone gang had been the victims of a recent string of targeted robberies...or if you ask me, getting a taste of their own medicine. However we believe the perpetrator may have been connected to the Joker...he murdered Benito and Rene Falcone."

Selina nodded gravely. "I heard," she said. "But no. I never heard him mention anyone. I never saw anyone."

"The robber has gotten the strange nickname of 'The Cat,'" Gordon continued. "And what with your own connection to the Falcone family..."

Selina frowned. "If you mean my father, that isn't anything to do with me. He was nothing but their accountant and I never really knew him. I paid for any connection I had with that family, believe me. They weren't a family you wanted to deal with."

"And with the Joker's new found obsession with you, you don't think it plausible that he could have killed Rene Falcone out of some sort of revenge?"

At that she laughed suddenly and then hit him hard with another frosty stare. "Am I a suspect commissioner? Because I'd like to know what evidence you have on me! I run a gallery and I'm far too busy to be skipping around Gotham in a cat suit."

After a long pause in which he exhaled loudly he answered. "No. I don't have any evidence on you Selina."

He surprised her with the truth and Selina hoped he hadn't seen the relief wash across her face.

"Well that's good," she laughed. "If I happen to see the Cat hanging around any rooftops I'll be sure to call you!"

Her joke made him smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. He leaned heavily on his forearms, his expression unsure and also quite weary.

"You don't believe me," she chided and he gave a short laugh of surprise at the challenge.

"I find that in this line of work, people lie," he admitted. "So I don't mean to appear disbelieving, it's just what I'm used to. And knowing the relationship you had with him as a child..." his voice trailed away leaving a void of silence which she wasn't quick to fill.

"I knew him for a few months in a children's home," Selina told him, her smile gone. "I wouldn't class it as a relationship."

"Oh come now," it was he that chided her this time. "I remember the day we took him away. You sobbed your heart out. It's not an easy thing to forget. And from the people I've spoken to from your old home...they all confirmed that the two of you were...close."

Selina blinked rapidly as though she had been slapped. Her face coloured in the same way. "I'm sorry?" she asked coolly. "The people who you've spoken to? From _Humberside?_"

Jim leaned back in the metal chair and folded his arms, his curiosity growing at her sudden, bizarre reaction, which he had unintentionally caused. "Yes," he confirmed it back. "When I pulled..._Jack's_ file I tracked down several old residents of that home. Of course it was difficult as after the fire you all scattered like mice. Some of the younger ones were re-homed and have moved on. But some are right here in Gotham."

Selina felt an odd sensation tug at her insides. It was a mixture of curiosity and relief. In all the years that had passed, she hadn't thought much on the other kids from the home and what they might have done with their lives.

"We spoke to...let me think," he raised his eyes skyward in thought. "Harris Becker...Lauren Keating, Hayley Morris...an old nurse I believe..."

Selina inhaled sharply, her eyes a little watery. "Oh...Hayley," she breathed. "God..."

He continued. "Susan Newman, Carla Rudin..."

Selina gasped. "What? _Who?_"

Jim Gordon's eyes widened at the woman's stunned reaction. "_Excuse_ me?"

"That name...you said Susan..._Suzie _Newman?" Selina had leaned forward in her chair and had grabbed his wrist. He noted how strong her fingers were linked around his shirt sleeve. Her eyes were wild and he marvelled at the speed in which she had moved. One moment she had been lazing back in the seat, one leg crossed casually over the other, arms folded and now she was right up in his face.

"Yes...yes," he spluttered. Selina didn't let go and to his surprise her face had broken into the most charming and infectious smile.

"Red hair?" she sought confirmation. "_Curly_ red hair?"

"Yeah that's her," Jim agreed, snaking his hand out of her fierce grip. "She works as a housing officer for the narrows and as a part time counsellor. She lives on Gotham's east side."

Selina covered her face with her hands, her eyes wet. She felt the laughter bubble up her throat and was unable to stop it. She was crying and laughing at the same time. "Oh my god," she couldn't breathe between gasps of laughter. "Oh my god..."

Gordon raised an eyebrow. "Is everything alright?"

"It's _better_ than alright!" Selina grinned at him. "It's wonderful. You've just given me the best news I've ever had. I'm elated."

"Hmm...I can see that," he wanted to get back to his questions but she was too enraptured to really listen. Selina was hugging her shoulders and rocking happily in her seat. She lifted her eyes to him and dazzled him with a real, very pretty smile.

"I'm sorry," she shook her head. "Elliot...always made me believe that she had died."

"Nice guy," Gordon raised an eyebrow.

Selina let her hands fall back to the table, her elation slowly ebbing away. "I _was _close to him," she admitted after a while, hardly able to believe she was even talking to him.

But she felt like she owed him something. Even though he was completely oblivious, he had just wiped clean nearly twenty years of guilt. After Suzie had been taken that night and she had left Gotham behind, Selina had been plagued with nightmares. It was that gut wrenching feeling that when you opened your eyes from a deep, dreamless sleep, the guilt was there to greet you like an old friend. It had taken years before Selina had been able to wake up and not remember Suzie's pale, terrified face.

"Close?" Jim prodded her out of her daze.

Selina opened her pale lips, running the words through her head first. But it didn't seem to matter because that time of her life never really made any sense. She had never spoken of that day to anyone, not even Holly. It was almost as if now, it had happened to another little girl.

"Back when I was nine, I was assaulted at the Gotham Fair," she smiled weakly and lifted her eyes to his. "I'm sure you can remember what happened that night. Jack was kind of looking out for me that day...he was a little older. And he kind of liked me I guess. We had some common ground."

When he didn't speak, but raised his eyebrows in puzzlement, Selina reached for the collar of her dressing gown and pulled it away to reveal a patch of her ruined flesh. His eyes widened and his mouth formed an O of surprise, but he didn't speak. He nodded for her to continue.

"We had snuck into one of the tents to watch a show but some older kid had followed us in. He watched us and then we made a run for it. But...well...he caught us. He kicked the crap out of Jack, you should have seen him."

"I did," Gordon reminded her and Selina laughed sadly.

"Of course you did," she spoke softly, shaking her head. "Well, then he turned to me. Fortunately he didn't get very far, Jack attacked him. He stabbed him and chased him off. He said he'd kill him. And... he did."

Jim Gordon whistled through his teeth. "Jesus," he muttered, linking his fingers on the table top. "Well that clears that up. It's only been twenty years. Unfortunately though that doesn't absolve him, no matter how 'good' his intentions may have been. That night he killed other people...people that didn't deserve to die."

Selina's eyes widened. "I'm not saying that!" she gasped. "God...I don't think he's some sort of hero. But you have to understand how he thought back then, even as a kid. Those people he took out...it wasn't personal. As he used to say, they were in his way. And no matter what way I look at it, no matter how many times I've thought about him over the years, when it comes down to it...he saved me. And I won't ever hate him for that. He was my friend."

For a long time he just stared at her and she wondered at what he was thinking. Was he like Bruce and thought she was just as bad as he was? Did he think she was a deluded fool? Selina kept her face plain. She couldn't take back what she'd said. She wouldn't.

Finally he spoke. "And you have no idea of his whereabouts now?"

"No," Selina answered with a clear conscience. "He left us there."

With a look of heavy burden on his face, Jim used his hands to ease himself out of the chair, suddenly feeling much older than his years. He shoved his hands in his pockets and gave the blonde woman a polite nod. "Thanks for your time. I hope your friend gets better," he said.

Selina shivered, wrapping her arms around her waist. She returned his nod and waited for him to leave. Jim was at the door of the restaurant, which was still quiet at this time of the morning. He let his thoughts wander to the footage that had been taken from the camera on the helicopter, footage that he'd only briefly been able to look at. Something about that scene on the roof had struck him as odd.

The Joker had clearly dragged the woman across the rooftop, a gun pressed firmly to her temple and although she had appeared terrified there had been something else. She had been the first to jump.

Even when they'd wound back the footage and slowed it down, she had made the leap first, almost dragging him along with her. And she'd landed so deftly, with such practiced grace, almost as if she'd done it all her life. Jim turned and looked at the woman still sitting in the metal chair with her back to him. As if sensing his eyes on her, she stiffened and looked at him over her shoulder, her profile perfect. She had a slim nose and a full mouth and even in this state, she was still extremely attractive.

"Is something the matter?" she asked, her chin touching her elegant shoulder, her eyes downcast. Jim cleared his throat.

"Nothing...except," he began tentatively. "Except that if you do happen to see the Cat hanging around any rooftops...you be sure to tell her that I'm watching her."

Slowly Selina lifted her eyes. She let her lips part in a smile. "Oh, I will," she replied.


	38. Goodbye

**A/N: Hello everyone. First of all huge apologies for my delay in getting this out there. This has actually been written for quite a while but was in need of completely editing. I'm pretty happy now and I hope you will enjoy it and the chapters to come. I've decided to post a couple together as I'm nearing the end of this little tale and I don't want to keep you in suspense for any longer than I have to. Also the main reason for my huge delay is that in January I found out that I was pregnant (Finally) and hormonal changes, shock and generally feeling pretty crappy for fourteen weeks left me with no time or strength to write. But now I'm five months and feeling on top of the world and the main thing I want to do before I go pop is finish this story.**

**I can't tell you what it means to still have reviews coming in on this story and your support and enthusiasm has been really encouraging. I'm going to write a huge list of thank yous on the last chapter, which will be coming soon.**

**But for now, thank you, thank you and I hope you enjoy this epic chapter.**

**LBG xxxx**

Goodbye

Gordon smiled at the woman in the chair, almost as if he were enjoying some private joke. A little shaken but still determind to remain composed, Selina kept the serene smile on her face and waited for him to leave. She watched his form retreat down the hospital corridor, his shoes thudding lightly on the floor. She watched him dart quickly into an elevator at the end of the hall and then he was gone.

Her hands trembled as she eased herself out of the chair and still barefoot she padded back down the corridor. A rush of emotion washed over her and she didn't know what to feel first, she felt flooded and drained at the same time. One thing she was sure of was that Gordon hadn't believed a damn thing she'd said. Every twitch of his moustache and flick of his eyebrows had said as much. And yet he hadn't carted her off in handcuffs? Selina wrapped her arms around her torso, shaking her head lightly. Maybe he was giving her a break this time?

But he'd be watching her. She wondered if the commissioner would have cop cars outside her apartment by the time she reached home. Home seemed like a lifetime away and it seemed like an age since she'd been in her own bedroom, getting ready for Bruce's party. Selina's stomach lurched violently. God...Bruce.

She reached Holly's door and used the flat of her hand to push it open. Her friend was still sleeping soundly. Selina slid back into the chair by the bed and wrapped the discarded blanket around her shoulders, huddling in for warmth. She closed her eyes for a moment but all she saw was Bruce's eyes behind that mask. That look of bitter disappointment etched into her memory forever. He would never forgive her for what she had done. Not only did her little act of heroism cost her his favour, but she'd humiliated him to. A man like Bruce Wayne didn't bounce back from those things very well.

Selina rubbed her aching eyes and tried to rest her head on the chair, folding her legs underneath her. She winced and straightened them out again. Everything hurt.

I deserve it; she thought miserably her thoughts turning to Jack. Her heart sank. She had lost Bruce but now she doubted she would ever see Jack again. How had things become so messed up? The one good thing that had come out of her meeting with Gordon was the news that Suzie was alive. That alone lifted her heart a little. All of the years she'd imagined Suzie dead and buried somewhere and now that had been erased with one sentence. It gave Selina hope. People do survive. Suzie had and that was enough for Selina right now.

"Hey..." came a small voice from the bed and Selina's eyes snapped open. She exhaled and smiled, crossing the gap to Holly's bedside. Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared down at her poor, beaten friend. Selina hopped up on the side of the bed and took Holly's clammy hand.

"Thank goodness," she breathed giving it an affectionate squeeze. "I thought you'd sleep for a week!"

Holly's eyes were barely able to open fully and the sore across her lip was still red and swollen, impairing her speech. "I feel like I need it," she whispered. "You ok?"

Selina rolled her eyes. "Don't you worry about me, I'm fine. Look at you. God I'm so sorry that I got you into this mess."

Holly shook her head weakly. "I shouldn't have gone off like that. Besides...that was one hell of a night. I got to wrestle Batman."

Selina's smile cracked across her face and she choked back laughter. "That was a stupid thing to do," she didn't manage to sound scolding. "But...thanks."

"I'm your wingman aren't I?" Holly chuckled, opening her eyes finally revealing her bloodshot pupils. Selina winced inwardly, surveying the purple bruise that had bloomed over Holly's right eye. "That was the most fun I've had in years."

Selina's smile was gone suddenly and her face deadly serious. "Don't joke about Hols. That bastard Elliot nearly killed you."

Holly placed a hand over her friends. "He didn't though."

Selina ducked her head, the memory of Elliot's last moments flooding back to her. _"There's my girl..." _Selina shuddered and held her friend's hand tighter as if she may slip away.

"He isn't coming back for you ever again," Holly whispered. "You did the right thing Selina."

The blonde woman shook her head, making sure to keep her voice low. "It wasn't my right to kill him. He should have died in a prison cell, locked away for the rest of his life. I lost control."

Holly's eyes filled with wetness, the pain in them very real. "Selina...I don't care what you say. You saved my life. He did things to me..." the younger woman turned her head to the right so that her tears ran down the side of her face and hit the white pillow beneath. "Prison would have been too good for him."

Selina swallowed her words, a knot forming in her throat. She said nothing but pressed her lips together, nodding firmly. She squeezed Holly's hand, feeling every splinter of pain, knowing every scrap of humiliation that she must have endured. Holly hadn't had time to be conditioned into that life, but Selina knew it all too well. Her heart broke for her friend. It was at that moment, a friendly round faced nurse bustled in, breaking the quiet moment that the two had shared.

Selina watched as the nurse fussed around Holly, checking her notes and adjusting her IV drip. Finally when she was busy scribbling something on the clipboard, Selina spoke.

"How long till she can come home?" she asked and the woman flashed her a sad smile.

"Oh a couple of days at least," she answered curtly. "The doctors want to keep her in for a while to monitor her. But you can visit whenever you like."

The woman bustled out of the room and Holly groaned. "I don't feel like going back to my place anytime soon anyway."

Selina frowned. "No way! You're staying with me for a while...your place is wrecked."

Holly chuckled. "Selina your place is tiny. Where would I sleep...the bath?"

"Well I'm perfectly comfortable on the couch for a while. Anyway...I was kind of thinking of getting someplace bigger," Selina grinned down at her, her old form returning and Holly's curiosity was stimulated. She rolled her neck on the pillow and wriggled her shoulders to stretch them out.

"Hmm...sounds interesting. I keep forgetting you have a few million stashed away somewhere," she sighed wearily. "You weren't planning on buying Wayne Manor were you?"

Selina laughed at the joke, rolling her eyes skyward. "Ahh, I don't think I'll be seeing Bruce Wayne for a while. At least not until his pride has recovered." She poked Holly playfully in the arm. "Why'd you do that? Why did you help me let him go?"

Holly looked at her as though she'd grown another head. "I told you...I'm your wingman. And as much as I can't pretend to understand the relationship you have with the Joker, you wanted him to run. And I was just backing you up."

Selina made her face serious, drawing her brows together even though the memory of an injured Holly wrestling Bruce around the neck still made her giggle. "Well I don't want a side kick Holly. I never want you to put yourself in that kind of danger again. I just want you to be my friend."

Holly smiled, her cheeks flushing. "Deal," she whispered. Selina leaned down and hugged her carefully. The pair broke apart at the sound of footsteps stopping just outside the door. A man cleared his throat and the door squeaked open. Selina looked over her shoulder, the sight of the man standing in the doorframe a welcome and emotional surprise.

"Jonah?" she hopped off the bed. "What are you doing here?"

Jonah stood their awkwardly, his eyes raking her over from head to foot in sheer horror. His mouth gaped open and the bunch of yellow carnations he'd been holding dropped to his side. Selina then remembered what a mess she must look, cut to ribbons and filthy, still in the same evening gown that now resembled something out of a rocky horror show. He shook his head, finally finding his voice.

"I got a weird call at the store last night before I left," he began to explain. "Some English guy said that you were in the hospital...that I should come pick you up...Selina, what happened?"

Selina held up her hands in a calming gesture, keenly aware of the worry etched into his face. She crossed the gap between them and reached for his rough hand, giving it a gentle squeeze with her own. "It's been quite a night," she smiled and he seemed to sag with relief upon seeing it. An English Guy? Dear old Mr. Pennyworth. It made her heart lift a little, if only for a moment.

"Can I take you home?" he asked in dismay. "Where are your shoes for god sake?"

Selina glanced down at her dirty and bloodied bare feet and wondered the same thing. The heels she had been wearing to Bruce's party had been Jimmy Choos. The vain, shallow part of her half hoped Bruce might find them in the rubble and take pity on them and on her. But she doubted she'd be seeing Bruce for a long time.

Selina cast a glance at Holly in the bed, who was urging her to take the opportunity to go while she could.

"You need to get home," Holly said as Selina leaned over her and planted a wet kiss on her bruised forehead. "I'm not going anywhere for a while."

"I'll be back tomorrow," Selina promised, hobbling back towards Jonah, who held out his arm for her to take. She cast him a sad smile as they wandered slowly down the hospital corridor, avoiding holding onto him too tightly. For some reason, seeing him here, the mere fact that he had raced across town to get her had struck her heart more than she liked.

He wound her arm around her waist to support her and she leaned carefully on him, until they reached the big, glass double doors that pulled back to allow freezing morning air to rush in. Selina winced and huddled against him for warmth. They made their way to the car park where Jonah's truck was waiting for them. The glass fogged up instantly as he turned on the engine, stretching across her to help her fasten her seatbelt.

Once she was all buckled up, Jonah reached for a rag in the glove compartment and hurriedly began to wipe the condensation off the interior screen. He threw her an exasperated look and muttered something about trading the truck in for scrap metal. But Selina was sleepy and didn't really hear it. In fact she didn't really hear anything until the truck bumped to a stop outside the gallery and she widened her eyes in surprise.

"You slept the whole way," he told her, undoing his belt and letting it slide back across his chest. He hoped out of the driver's side and ran around to help her out of the car. "You want to go up alone?"

It was then Selina's turn to look a little sheepish. "I don't suppose your any good at breaking and entering are you? I don't have my keys...I promise not to call the cops."

He chuckled heartily, for the first time since he'd seen her. "Well I did learn a few things in the clink," he said. Selina grinned sleepily.

"That's what I was hoping," she let him help her out onto the sidewalk. Selina leaned against the gallery wall as Jonah began to fiddle with the lock. With her arms folded against her chest, eyes squinting against the early morning sunlight, it occurred to her that she liked having him around. It also dawned on her that she could have broken into her own home by herself with no problems, but there was something nice about being taken care of. It had happened to her so little in her life that she lapped it up like a greedy cat when it occurred.

The first warning beeps of her alarm system brought her out of her daze and she dashed past him through the door, to the box on the wall behind the desk. Hurriedly she typed in the numbers and then beeping halted altogether. She exhaled and turned to see him framed in the doorway, leaning casually against it.

"You need anything?" he asked, eyeing her cautiously, folding his arms.

Selina lingered behind the desk, her eyes scanning the stacks of paperwork and her over brimming in tray. "No. You get home," she told him firmly. "But thank you so much for coming."

It would have been so easy to ask him in. She didn't really want to be on her own but she knew she had to face it at some point. Jonah left, promising to look in on her later. Selina shut the door after him and then made her way up to her apartment. The place seemed desolate and it felt like a lifetime since she had last stepped into it. Her body ached for sleep but her mind was too alert. She crossed the threshold to her bedroom and surveyed the chaotic mess she'd left. Rather than collapsing on the bed, she stripped it, throwing all her dirty laundry in the wash. She spent the next hour stacking up her shoes, folding up her clothing and remaking her bed, fluffing the pillows and smoothing the sheets. One by one, she hung up all her shirts, folding them neatly back into line in her wardrobe.

She hobbled into the bathroom and quickly tore off the shredded garment that had once been a very expensive evening gown. She stuffed what remained of it in the trash and then jumped into the shower. Selina didn't come out again until she was clean of dirt and blood, scrubbing vigoursly under her nails, her skin pink and raw when she emerged in a silk gown a little later. Her hair up in a towel, she padded out to the kitchen in her slippers and took a seat at her breakfast bar.

As she reached for her phone, she glanced at the clock, surprised it was still only ten in the morning. She trapped the phone between her chin and her shoulder, leaning across the counter to drag the phone book towards her with her fingertips. She thumbed through it and found the number she needed, using her free hand to tap the numbers into the key pad. Finally it began to ring.

"Good Morning. Gotham Housing Association," a prim, female voice said at the other end of the line and Selina's stomach churned at what she was about to do."

"Ah...good morning," she faltered slightly. "Can I speak to Susan Newman?"

"Putting you through," the voice relayed curtly and Selina jumped a little. Her heart began to speed up a little as she waited. It rang and rang, until finally someone answered. The voice was a female again and her voice was slightly high and extremely feminine.

"Can I speak to Susan Newman?" Selina asked again, her throat rather dry.

"Yes, speaking," the woman answered and Selina's stomach fell through the floor. "How can I help?"

"Ahh," Selina rubbed her temples with her free hand, a nervous sweat breaking across her forehead. "Um, I've been told that you were the person to speak to if I wanted to buy some land in Gotham's South district?"

The woman chuckled throatily. "The narrows you mean? Well yes I can help you with that...not that we have many people interested in that district these days. Whereabouts is the property?"

Selina took a breath. "Well...it isn't so much a property anymore. It used to be a children's home."

Then came the shocked silence that Selina had been expecting. She could practically see Suzie's red eyebrows fling upwards towards her hair line. After a moment the woman cleared her throat.

"I know the place," she agreed and Selina almost laughed. "You mean Humberside don't you? Well I'm sorry to say that it isn't for sale. It was classed as a derelict site many years ago."

"I refuse to believe that it can't be sold," Selina challenged, instantly remembering Suzie's ability to aggravate her temper. It appeared that hadn't changed much. "Its just sitting there doing nothing. Who owns the land it sits on?"

The woman inhaled sharply at the other end of the line. "Well, the city owns the site. It used to belong to the Falcone family but since their demise, the land passes to the city."

"Can it be bought from the city? If you say it isn't for sale now...could it be if the right offer were made?"

"Yes, I'm sure it could," Suzie answered. "But it would be expensive to buy it back. You could be talking a small fortune."

Selina smiled. "The cost wouldn't be an issue."

At the other end the woman laughed softly. "Well...I could certainly make a few enquiries for you," she offered. "Can I ask what your plans would be for the site?"

At this Selina took a deep breath. "I want to restore it. I want to make it what it was...a home for under privileged children."

"That's quite an undertaking. You would need all sorts of plans passed and building permission. And also the area isn't what it was when that home stood years ago. It's not really a place to bring up children."

"Well, you survived didn't you?" Selina shot at her coyly and she heard the woman swallow audibly at the other end.

"I'm sorry, but who is this?" Suzie stammered slightly. Selina waved her hand in the air as though she were sitting directly in front of her old friend.

"I'm just someone who believes that things can change," she trailed off. "Look I'm sorry for being so cryptic about this but could you meet me at the site maybe later today? I would really love to discuss this further."

"Sure," the woman bristled. "Do you have some drawings I could look through? Or a proposal at least?"

Selina bit her lip, her heart deflating a little. "Well...no."

The woman relented. "That's fine. I have an architect friend that works in my division, I'll bring him along. Besides, the narrows isn't the sort of place a woman goes to alone!"

Selina chuckled at that. That wasn't something that she had a problem with. "Wonderful. How about four o clock?"

Suzie laughed at the other end. " Sure. I have to say this is the oddest phone conversation I've had in a long time. Can I ask your name at least?"

Selina smiled, her eyes pricking slightly. "I'm an old friend," she whispered before placing the phone back in the cradle, but not before she heard Suzie's soft gasp at the other end of the crackling line.

/

Selina had applied her makeup like an artist, careful to cover the scratches and bruises on her face. She layered on dense black mascara and painted on her red lipstick. After a few hours sleep she felt better, more alert. She had arrived at the site nearly a whole half hour earlier than she had planned to. Over head the sky was dusky pink and the wreckage of her old home oddly quiet.

Selina folded her arms across her chest, the air a little chilly. She had dressed suitably for the occasion, her pale grey suit neatly tailored to her slim figure. Under the jacket she wore a white shirt with an oversized collar, leaving it unbuttoned to her clavicle, revealing her long neck and throat. Her hair was piled up in a side bun, strands blowing messily around her face. Her black heels dug softly into the dirt ground as she paced around the property, awaiting her old friend's arrival.

She knew that any other woman, or man for that matter would be nervous to be standing in the middle of the narrows, alone and vulnerable. But Selina could never feel that here. In fact it was in this very spot, the last time she had visited the night that she had been caught by Bruce, that she had gotten the idea for restoring the home.

What better way to spend Falcone's money? The very money that was the cause of her scarring, the reason that Humberside was burnt to the ground in the first place. It wasn't some last ditch attempt to prove that she wasn't the criminal that Bruce thought she was. Selina knew that she would always be that in his eyes. She wanted to give something back to the place that had been her shelter for many years. It was a place she had loved and had called home and it didn't deserve to be sitting here in ruins.

She surveyed the grounds, imagining what could be achieved and it brought a real smile to her red lips. She would rebuild it the way it was, brick by brick. She wanted the same red brick face and wrap around wooden porch. She wanted it to have a lush lawn like the one they used to lay out on in the summer, when Mrs. Wayne would visit. Hell, she even wanted a white room, or something similar. But this wouldn't be a room of imprisonment; it would be a place where kids could get real help. For once in her life Selina was determined that out of the fire, something good would grow.

Selina shivered and closed her eyes, feeling that she was perched on the brink of something new and wonderful. If her face wasn't so sore she might have cracked a wide smile. A wash of loneliness crept upon her and she wondered what her old friend would think of her plan. She wondered where he had disappeared to last night and at what darkness had enfolded him. It was then she knew it could never work. She wanted to be part of the world. She was sick of clawing her way through life by sheer will and having to fight tooth and nail for everything. She loved him, she realised. He would always be her Jack, her playmate and perhaps her soul mate. But he would take her into the darkness with him. Selina thought of Bruce and his sadness. She thought of how badly she'd hurt him and how he could have been so perfect. Her heart sank into her stomach.

"Jesus...it is you," a timid voice said behind her and Selina swallowed, cursing herself for not being more on her guard. She turned on her heels, her chin pointed out defiantly and her arms still tightly folded. Her composure faltered slightly when she saw the small red haired woman.

Selina barely noticed the blonde haired man standing watching them from the door of his silver Mercedes, but she guessed at once he was the architect friend that Suzie had brought along. Suzie was standing there motionless as Selina walked towards her, her eyes glistening slightly. She was still a foot shorter than Selina, but then most women were. Her skin was still as pink and freckly as ever and her hair was smooth, long and straight, not a hint of a corkscrew curl in sight. She too was wearing smart black business attire, her skirt skimming above her knees.

At once Suzie let out a gasp and brought her trembling hands to her lips. Selina didn't smile, not yet. Somehow it didn't feel right to. The last time she had laid eyes on this woman, she had been dragged off in the back of a van, a burlap sack over her head. Suzie dropped her hands and shook her head in awe.

She was wiping her eyes. "God almighty," she looked at the ground. "All my years in therapy and I'm thrown!"

Selina's lip curled into a wry smile. "You look good," she paid the compliment and Suzie looked up, darting her eyes over Selina's figure.

"Thanks...you look," she choked on her words. "I can't even believe how you look._ Stunning_. Jesus Selina!"

Suzie was shaking slightly as Selina crept towards her. Inside Selina was struggling with her emotions. She could feel tears welling up in her throat, but she refused to lose control. There had been too many tears recently. This was the last ghost of her past. Suzie was the last ghost to lay to rest, but she wasn't a ghost at all. She was alive, flesh and blood and bones. Selina reached out and tugged a piece of Suzie's red hair in between her fingertips.

"Where are all your curls?" Selina asked, her voice a little shaky. Suzie lifted her red rimmed eyes to her green ones.

"Well I'm a changed person now," Suzie answered dully. "Not the whining little kid you probably remember. This is...I never dreamed I would see you again. I thought you were dead."

"Likewise," Selina nodded. "That's what Elliot made me believe."

Suzie wrinkled her nose. "Elliot? You mean that guy that took us to his place that night?"

Selina rolled her eyes. "Hmm, yes. I stayed with him much longer than I should have."

Suddenly Suzie held up her palms and began shaking her head. She stepped away and Selina eyed her in alarm. The man at the car door moved as if he were about to rush to her side, but then he stopped.

"I cant...that's all ancient history for me now Selina," Suzie whispered. "I've spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars in therapy trying to claw my life back together. And I've done it. I can't go back to that time with you now."

"Ok!" Selina made her voice calm. "I'm sorry. I wish I could have done the same."

Suzie managed to look up at her. "Well you look like you have," she uttered.

"Looks are deceiving," Selina recited the old cliché. "I don't think I have half your courage."

Suzie straightened up, folding her arms defensively and Selina was reminded of that day in Humberside when they'd fought at the foot of the stairs. She realised then it was more than history between them. It was love and death and despair. It was blood and pain and fire. So many haunted memories. She could almost feel the ghost of Tony staring at them from across the rubble. Had she been cruel to bring Suzie back here?

"So to business," Suzie said in a clipped voice, bringing Selina out of her trail of thought. "I made a few enquiries for you and the city is prepared to sell the site subject to you providing detailed plans?"

Selina's face lifted and her eyes widened in surprise. "Really? That's all I have to do?"

Suzie smiled wryly. "Well it's going to cost you Selina. Like I said on the phone this would be no easy undertaking. I mean this is a different Gotham to the one we grew up in. The Gotham Council would require that registered, qualified medical staff be placed on the property. You would have to get several plans passed and get a heap of different licenses. Not to mention the security of the place!"

Selina's spine straightened and she lifted her chin. "I understand all that. I want this to work Suzie. I want it to be a place of safety."

Suzie didn't seem to hear her. "I mean how many kids are you planning on housing at one time? Do you plan to run it yourself? You would need an onsite counselling team...possibly even a resident doctor! It's not the free for all, come one come all kind of set up that we had when we were kids."

If the intention of Suzie's rant was to try and dissuade her then Selina had to admit that it was working. But she also realised at the same time the reason why she and the little red head squabbled and fell out of friendship so often when they were children. Suzie had the energy and the gusto of a miniature wrecking ball and Selina was as sturdy as an oak, unyielding and firmly rooted. But she also knew that she would rather have Suzie with her than against her.

Selina folded her arms. "Do you want a job?"

Suzie blinked at her in bewilderment. "What?"

Selina laughed, revealing her white even teeth. "Well I know you're not deaf. I asked if you would like a job. I heard that you also happen to be a qualified counsellor."

Suzie folded her arms indignantly. "I'm finishing off my psychiatric degree," she said.

"Perfect," Selina snapped her fingers. "Then you'll be well qualified."

"I...you...couldn't afford me!" Suzie shot at her and Selina snorted.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure," Selina smiled keenly, casting a glance at Suzie's friend by the car door, who had been lingering for a while now. When Selina made eye contact and smiled at him, he automatically took it as a sign to wander over. Suzie shot him a fierce glance over her shoulder and hissed something about him staying put but Selina made a face and waved him over.

He was tall, broad and blonde haired with pale blue eyes that peeked out from under thin wired spectacles. He smiled shyly and Selina reached and shook his outstretched hand.

"I'm Don," he introduced himself. "I'm Suzie's fiancé." Selina shot her green eyes at her old friend and smiled warmly at him.

"Ah, well congratulations," she said sweetly. "I've just made you future wife an offer she really shouldn't refuse. But I think I'll need you to try and persuade her on that. She also mentioned that you're an architect?"

Don balked a little at the blonde woman's forwardness. "That's right."

"Do you accept commissions?" she asked and he nodded vaguely. "Well it shouldn't be too difficult. I need the blue prints drawn up to match what this building was about twenty years ago. I take it that the old prints should be on file in Gotham Town Hall somewhere."

Don shot a confused look at his beet red fiancé. "They should be," he answered.

"You mean you want it the same?" Suzie asked, dumbfounded. "Exactly as it was?"

Selina rolled her eyes. "With a few improvements of course," she said, casting her eyes back at the blonde man. "If you can get that done for me by the end of the week you can name your price."

His eyes widened and Selina could practically see the dollar signs flashing up in his eyes. He looked at Suzie who was vehemently shaking her head. He took her gently by the arm. "Think of the wedding," he whispered and Selina's ears pricked up keenly.

"Yes, think of the wedding," she joked and at that the red head tossed her a half mocking, half exasperated look.

"You really are a piece of work Selina," she hissed through her nose, "Coming back here after all this time..."

"And offering you a chance of a lifetime?" Selina scolded. "Yes, I'm a bitch. But think about what I'm talking about Suzie. I'm talking about rebuilding our home and putting something good back into Gotham. Didn't you ever think about that?"

Suzie's face suddenly paled. She turned away from Selina sadly. "In twenty years...this was the last place I tried to think about Selina."

Selina's bravado suddenly melted and she looked at the ground, a little ashamed of herself. She heard the noise of movement and when she glanced up saw that Don was walking back to the car. Suzie stood in front of her.

"He'll do your plans...we can't refuse the money right now. And I promise I'll do everything I can to help you get this thing off the ground. But that's all I'm promising for now."

"Then that'll have to do," Selina answered. She watched Suzie's form retreat to the car. She watched them taking animatedly to one another as she climbed in before they drove away. Selina laughed to herself. Suzie was probably berating Don for coming over.

Night was drawing in and in the half hour they had been conversing the sky had turned from pink to red, the sun sinking lazily below the Gotham sky line. When Selina reached the outskirts of the old town, she hailed a cab to take her back to her apartment. She leaned back in the seat, exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. Despite the confrontational manner of their meeting, it had been good to see her again. And despite her protestations, Selina was confident that Suzie would come to play a big part in the revolution of Humberside.

When the cab pulled up at her building, Selina hastily paid the driver, sliding across the leather seat, her heels clacking on the pavement outside. Instead of going straight to her apartment, she headed for the store a couple of doors down from the gallery. The bell tinkled as she pushed open the door, warmth from the interior fan hitting her face. It was late afternoon and the store was quiet before the barrage of nightly, after work shoppers would descend. The check out girls were chatting and gossiping as she passed, her eyes travelling up and down the aisles. Selina spotted Jonah on a metal step ladder, busy stacking the top shelf of the biscuit and cake section.

Selina stood at the foot of the ladder, staring up at him and tugged his pant leg with her hand. He jerked and stared down at her, his eyes widening at her recovered appearance.

"Hey blondie," he smiled down at her under his arm. "You look better!"

Selina rolled her eyes. "Ahh, it's the power of makeup and sleep," she joked, waiting for him to hop down. He did so with ease, reminding her that he was still a strong and very able man. He dusted his hands off on his overall.

"How are you doing?" he asked, his eyes narrowing. Selina waved her hand in the air.

"Oh, I'm fine," she breezed with her usual serenity. "I actually came here to ask if I could take you to dinner to say thank you."

Jonah smiled, his craggy features stretching. "I wouldn't say no," he winked, slyly. "But nothing fancy. I'm a burger and fries kind of man."

Selina chuckled. "That sounds great actually," she braced herself for his reaction to her next question. "And well...I was going to talk to you about something else?"

Puzzled, he lifted his heavy brows and grinned. "Oh, yeah?"

Selina folded her hands behind her back. "Hmm. I was wondering if you would like your old job back?"

/

It was an interesting evening. By the time Jonah had recovered from laughing at her bizarre question and came to the realisation that she was serious, the night had come and the pavements were black and cold. They walked arm in arm into town, where Jonah took her to the best steak house he knew. Huddled up in a corner booth, they talked and laughed, reminiscing about the old days and about Selina's crazy idea.

It was nearly midnight by the time Jonah walked her back to her door, giving her a fond kiss on the cheek. The whole evening she had spent trying to convince him that what she had planned would really happen and still now with him staring down at her in the darkness, she was sure he still didn't believe her.

"Selina, the day you invite me to the grand opening and I'm standing back in my old office...I'll come and work for you for free!" he promised with a laugh. He ruffled her blonde hair. "Thanks for quite an evening."

Slightly bristled but more determined than before, Selina rolled her eyes at him and kissed him goodnight. She unlocked the gallery door and headed for her interior set of stairs. Back in her apartment she kicked off her shoes, feeling along the wall for the light switch.

Before her fingers slipped onto the switch, she felt a sudden rush of cold air whip across her legs, the kind of breeze that only came from an open window. Swallowing in the dark, Selina crept along the hall, her bare feet quiet on the carpet. The hall opened up into her kitchen and she saw that her bedroom door was wide open, the curtains billowing up in the breeze.

Knowing full well that she hadn't left her window open, she braced herself for the sight of one of the only two people it could be. Standing motionless in the darkness, she could hear him moving around in the room, could hear his soft nasal breathing. The question was, who did she want to see most? Longing formed a knot in her stomach and as she rounded the corner, standing framed in the doorway she received her answer.

He was sitting cross-legged on the bed, rumpling the bed clothes with his shoes, his arms folded, waiting for her to come in. If he was pretending that he hadn't heard her come in the front door, he wasn't doing a very good job, his brows arching as she reached the bedside, flicking on the lamp there. He was illuminated, the light casting a glow across the gruesome, fresh paint, appearing like something out of a child's nightmare.

Selina exhaled and straightened her back. "You're ok," she said. He glanced up at her, his pupils black under the lighting.

"I have to hand it to you," he began quietly. "_You _certainly recover fast. I don't see one mark on you."

Selina pressed her lips together before speaking. "I hide it well," she answered.

"Wish I could say the same," he winced as though it hurt him to breathe. He moved aside to let her have some room to sit and Selina remembered the fall he'd had. "Thanks to that giant asshole of a bat, I think I've cracked a couple of ribs."

Selina pinched her lips together, trying not to laugh. "You'll mend."

"Thanks for the sympathy," he chuckled, patting the spare area of bed that he'd made available for her. Sighing Selina squeezed on next to him, not entirely trusting his proximity. The trouble was that he so cleverly had the power to make her forget. When it was just them, he was simply Jack, her friend. And right now she was tired and a little overwhelmed to see him so soon.

"I thought you'd skip town," she said, keeping her chin bowed. She didn't like the way he was looking at her. Sometimes he reminded her of a shark; it was the black emotionless eyes that did it. You couldn't read him. Therefore you couldn't trust him.

"Well that's the plan," he confirmed and Selina looked up sharply.

"You're going?" she gasped and he laughed through yellowed teeth.

"I think this town is getting a little small for me," he said knowingly, tilting his gaze at her. "Threes a crowd honey."

"What are you talking about?" she shot at him defensively.

"Well there's you, me and the bat. Too many freaks in one city!"

"I'm hanging up the suit," she told him. "That part of my life is over now."

He leaned forward, a little too near but before she had time to veer away he caught her chin between his fingers. She could smell the leather of his gloves. His eyes rounded and she fought to look away from them.

"You're kidding me right?" he snarled. "I think you're forgetting who you're talking too. I was with you on the roof. I saw that look on your face when you jumped. I saw you wrestle the Bat without a single second of hesitation. You _loved _every minute of it!"

Selina pulled out of his grasp. "I did that so you could get away..."

"Ahh," he cooed mockingly. "And what did you think would happen? That I would come and find you and we'd start picking out furniture together?"

Selina's eyes were wet and angry. "Well you're here aren't you?"

He shot a fierce warning glare at her, suddenly more annoyed than he knew why. He looked confused and jumped off the bed, stalking to the window. He grabbed the window ledge with both hands, dipping his head between his shoulder blades. "Damn you Selina," he whispered.

Selina jumped up behind him. "Then why _are _you here?" she yelled, suddenly blazingly angry. "Do you know what I sacrificed for you by doing that? I chose you Jack! I _chose_ you!"

He whirled about, his face livid, the coat he was wearing flapping about his legs. "I didn't ask for you to save me Selina!" he hissed between clenched teeth. "I've never sought salvation. I don't want it. I don't want your pity...thinking that you can bring me back from the dead, that you can save my poor black soul. It isn't worth saving!"

"I don't believe that," she fired back angrily, clenching her fists. He was the only man she'd ever met who could make her loose her temper within seconds. "You came for me. You saved Holly."

He laughed, his back still turned. She watched his shoulders tremble. "For my own gains," he sneered. In the darkness of the dimly lit room, he stared at her pale reflection only inches behind him. Selina could see the black of his eyes and knew he was lying.

"Bullshit," she spat. "You can say what you like. You forget I know you too well."

He was losing his control. Like a pressure cooker she could feel the tension building second by second. She forgot in those moments that she was in the presence of a dangerous predator, a person who didn't appear to have any motive for the things he did. Selina wondered at how far she could push him.

"You're confused," she edged closer. "I could help you."

His head bowed between his shoulder blades, he shook it from side to side. "No _you're _confused Selina...you don't know what or _who _you want. Me or the handsome prince of Gotham? Well I'm here to make the choice a lot more simple for you. I can't be what you want...and I don't want your pity."

"I don't pity you," she cried. "I...I don't know what I think. Only that...you're my friend. Whatever you say...you will _always _be my friend!"

He turned on her then with a force and a fury that he usually kept in check. He crossed the room, grabbing her by the throat so fiercely that he forced her backwards. His grip was enough to terrify her, but not to really hurt her. She squeezed tears from her eyes and they snaked down her cheeks onto his gloves.

"We...are...not...friends!" he growled in her face. "We will _never _be friends Selina."

He let her go and she sagged, staggering back a few steps.

"Then for god sake get out of here!" she shouted, fresh tears running down her face. "Don't keep coming back into my life every time it's convenient for you. You never wanted this in the first place you said so yourself. And yet here you are! I had a man in my life like that for too long and I ended up killing him."

She covered her face with her hands and began to really cry, feeling humiliated and wretched. She collapsed on the edge of the bed, peeking up at him between her fingers. He was staring at her with a mixture of longing and contempt. He wanted her but he hated her for it. He remembered the way it used to be but he blamed her for making him remember. His life had been simple before she'd come back. And funnily enough, so had hers. It was clear then they could be nothing to each other except one or the others ruination. They would be each other's downfall, again and again. It was a strange, deadly but irresistible addiction.

Then he was gone, out as quietly as he had come out through the window. Selina let her hands fall to her sides and sobbed at the sudden loss, the room so empty and desolate. She swallowed back tears. If he was leaving then was that really the way she wanted it to end? Choking back tears, she snaked her body through the window, her feet hitting the metal frame of the fire escape stairs.

As fast as she could she padded down the stairs, seeing his hunched form stalking back down the alley, his arms swinging rigidly from side to side. She didn't call out to him. She only ran wildly after him, her feet splashing through puddles of rainwater, leaving the hem of her suit pants wet. Her hair flew behind her as she picked up speed and breathlessly, she caught up, catching his shoulder and turning him around.

For a moment he was struck with surprise, not having heard her coming or expecting her to come chasing after him. She didn't want to hear his rebuke. She didn't want to have him chastise her for making a fool of herself. But she knew that if she hadn't of come she would regret this for the rest of her life. Before he could speak she threw her arms about him, hardly able to breathe as she crashed her mouth against his. She heard the little noise of shock come from the back of his throat. He didn't seem to know what to do with his arms; they hung limply by his side. Selina tore her mouth away and stared into his eyes, wet tears drying on her face.

Her heart sped up. "I do know what I want," she said, her voice more low than she had ever heard it.

This time he didn't seem to have a problem with his arms. He wound them about her small form, half lifting her up into his arms, his hands pinching needily into her flesh as he lowered his mouth to hers once again. Selina could barely breathe between kisses; his hands were everywhere, in her hair, running down her back, on her thighs. She caught his face between her hands, feeling slick grease paint there but not really caring. She kissed every place that she could find, his cheeks, his lips, while he growled and sought the flesh of her throat.

Selina didn't quite remember getting back to her bedroom, only that it was a slow, steady affair, neither really coming up for air until they found themselves on the fire escape stairs. She didn't remember him shoving her ruthlessly back through the window. In the dark quiet of the room, she heard the sound of her shirt tearing and allowing him to rip it away from her body. Selina pushed his coat off of his shoulders, wrestling his tie away from his neck, hearing the buttons of his shirt pop as she tore it open.

Then she was on her back, still desperately trying to wrestle herself out of her underwear, while he kissed her into submission, allowing his tongue to roam freely up her neck. It suddenly became very urgent and she almost felt the moment when it changed between them. Kissing like overheated teenagers in the back of a car suddenly darkened. He held her gaze, holding her arms above her head, while with the other hand he freed himself of his own barrier.

He was looking down the length of her body and her face scorched under his scrutiny. She realised in her heated daze that he was the second of two men who'd looked at her this closely. Hating the intense look in his eyes, she arched her torso off the bed and her mouth found his and this seemed to cause frenzy within the both of them. He was rough and it hurt, but Selina yielded as he pushed her legs apart and began to make love to her. She squeezed her eyes shut, the scorching heat between them too much as she struggled to adjust, could barely keep up, until at once it didn't hurt and it became something like blissful release.

He buried his face in her hair, folding his arms under her body, almost as if he could bring them closer only intensified the moment at which she completely lost herself. He growled and bit down into her shoulder, earning a yelp from her parted lips. He stiffened and let out a cry right by her ear, collapsing on top of her. For a while neither spoke and Selina felt a familiar knot of terror building in her throat.

He rolled away and turned his head in her direction. Selina braced herself for some glib comment, some scathing remark, but he said nothing. Instead he grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him, taking the sheets and wrapping them across her. He looked down at her in the dark, smiling crookedly, running his fingertip along her lips and examining it. He held it up to her to reveal that it was covered in red paint. Selina could feel the paint on her skin, she could feel it drying and cracking under the heat of her body.

She nestled up under his arm, allowing herself to feel peace as he laughed at her unkempt hair and her face covered in paint. She fell asleep listening to the sound of him chuckling, feeling his breathing deepen until they were both sleeping in the growing dark of the room.

When she woke up, she saw him sitting on her window ledge. The morning was coming fast and she blinked up at him framed in the halo light of her window. Hadn't they been here so many times before? She went to sit but he held out his hand to warn her not too. He was really going this time. And she knew instinctively that he wouldn't be coming back. A knot formed in her throat and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes.

Her voice trembled. "See you around Jack," she whispered, fighting not to cry. His face cracked in a smile, one that made him look ten years younger and not the twisted, deranged criminal everyone thought him to be.

"See you around match girl," he said, his voice tight. "I'll be keeping my eye on you."

He swung his legs over the edge of the window and then he was really gone. Selina shook, pulling the sheets up to her chin for protection from the early morning chill. The sadness was suddenly gone and she found herself smiling. It had been the best way to say goodbye.


	39. Ghosts

**And here is the second one for you to enjoy. Only one more chapter to go...**

Ghosts

Six months later

Selina scooted across the leather seat of the limousine, towards her friend. Nerves made her hands tremble a little as she reached to accept the glass of champagne that Holly was offering her. Selina sipped it greedily, feeling the liquid drain down her throat leaving a burning trail behind it. She had never been one for champagne. Holly's eyes were shining and she let out an excited squeal, reaching to squeeze Selina's shoulder.

"You look amazing!" Holly told her and Selina felt her nerves lift a little at the compliment. Dressed from head to toe in a gold wrap gown, with her hair curled and pinned up to one side, Selina knew that fact already. It didn't help that she felt like the biggest fraud in Gotham.

She lowered her eyes to her friend and plastered a fake smile on her face. She noted that Holly also looked beautiful. She was wearing an electric blue gown that plunged to reveal her modest cleavage.

"Nice dress Hols," Selina admired. "I think I might be paying you too much."

They both laughed as the limo pulled away from the gallery. Selina had left her apartment in a dire state. She was in the midst of packing and was horrified at how much junk she had managed to accumulate in less than a year. She had gotten ready among piles of cardboard boxes, her makeup packed away in bags and her clothes in a heap on the bed. Tonight they were on their way to The Clarence Hotel in Gotham city centre, where in an hour or so Selina Kyle would be awarded Business Woman of the year.

It had been an unhappy coincidence that the night of the gala had fallen on the weekend that Selina was preparing to move across to her new home in the narrows.

Much had happened in six months. Suzie Newman had kept her promise and like a well oiled machine the wheels had been greased for Selina's restoration of Humberside. It had taken six weeks to pass the plans and get all the right papers in order and Selina had to admit it had been no easy task. Selina had had to hire eight nurses and a doctor for the site before the city would pass any plans. But finally after weeks of interviewing and security checking the candidates, a team had been formed and the building work could begin.

In the time this had been achieved, Selina had purchased and opened another gallery in Gotham's finance district. It was a big glass building, more modern than the original and it wasn't long before Holly expressed interest in running it. The two women couldn't live together for much longer and Selina was only too happy to hand over the keys. The waves she was making had attracted quite a bit of media attention and it wasn't too long before Selina found herself to be mentioned in the business section of the tribune. She had been photographed in the gossip sections at least three times, mostly leaving business meetings with various lawyers. She had even been caught in a restaurant with Jonah on one occasion.

When the letter had landed on the mat from the Gotham 'Investors in People' Trust, Selina had stared down at it dumbfounded. She was going to win Business Woman of the Year. Bubbles of laughter escaped through her lips and she had wondered at what Jack would think if he knew. Selina Kyle, a scavenger, child of the narrows and wanted criminal was finally being accepted among Gotham's elite. Tearing the letter open she had read through it like a child at Christmas, her eyes scanning down to the bottom of the letter, where it read 'hosted by Wayne Enterprises'.

"Damn," she had muttered through gritted teeth, her elation slowly ebbing away. Her heart sinking into the pit of her stomach, her thoughts turned to Bruce and wondered if he was going to be at the event. She sunk behind her desk, shoulders slumped. Of course he would be there. Even Batman had to keep up appearances.

Staring out into the early evening dusk, Selina watched as the twinkling lights of Gotham blinked down at her as they travelled further into the city. They felt like watchful, prying eyes and it only made her feel worse.

"What's wrong?" Holly probed, staring at her friend's stony profile. "Did I overspend on the limo?"

Selina parted her red lips and let out a hollow laugh. "Of course not. Its only right that we enter in style...it's just..." Selina sighed and bowed her head, unable to find the courage to finish the sentence.

Holly pursed her lips. "You feel like a fake?"

Selina swallowed. "I feel like the biggest liar on the planet and that my nose is about thirty feet long. And what's worse is that _he'll _be there...and he'll be thinking the same."

Holly said nothing but dipped her shoulders to reach for the champagne bottle once more. She glugged the liquid into Selina's empty glass and then urged her to drink it nodding her head. Selina gripped the glass and chugged it down, making a face.

"And it doesn't help knowing that his little blonde journalist will be there hanging off his arm, like a love sick teenager," Selina bit acidly and Holly smiled knowing the real reason why her friend was feeling jittery.

"What are you more anxious about? That Bruce Wayne knows your Cat woman or that he has a new girlfriend?"

Selina smiled at her own silliness. But it had been a bitter six months and right now it hurt to smile and wave it off. Not that she didn't have offers. Jonah was always saying that she could have any man she set her sights on. The sudden loss of Jack's presence, the knowing that he was no longer there had left her feeling hollow and lost. She half expected him to turn up, waiting for her at her home, a strange but welcome intruder. She missed him and it made her ache to remember that night and that it would never happen again. It hurt not to know where he was, what he was doing. Selina had been thrown back twenty years and was a child again, mourning the loss of her friend.

And Bruce Wayne had become like a mere shadow and for some reason that stung even deeper. She had heard nothing from him in all this time, only catching glimpses of him in the papers, often with the journalist Vicki Vale on his arm. There were rumours of their engagement and it made her sick to the stomach. Of course he could have easily invented those rumours himself to keep up his public profile. There were often tid bits of them together on the late night news, reporters catching them coming out of restaurants and theatres, laughing and looking very much like a young couple in love. It left Selina with a vile taste in her mouth, to know what she could have had, of the life and the companionship he had offered her. And it wasn't like he hadn't tried! Selina remembered that last night when he'd crawled across the roof and had taken her face in his hands. He'd kissed her so fiercely, so relieved that she was ok, even after everything she'd done. And then she'd hurt him again by choosing Jack and humiliating him.

"I don't deserve Bruce Wayne," Selina said aloud, filling the silent void that had lapsed between them. "I'm an idiot Holly. I threw everything he offered me back in his face. And it makes me so sick to see him with that little..."

"Drink up," Holly encouraged rolling her eyes. Not even she knew the inner workings of her best friend's mind at times. Times like these it was best just to listen. They had become like sisters in the last few months, relying on one another and working together. Holly loved Selina dearly, but sometimes her friend just seemed so lost. She had once had everything she could have dreamed of in her grasp, but she'd chosen another man and even the most detailed of explanations still left Holly a bit baffled. Holly had come to realise that the childhood bond Selina had shared with the Joker, was deeper than anything she could have with Bruce Wayne. It was beyond explanation and beyond understanding.

"He's a good man though," Selina was half speaking to herself. "He kept my secret."

Holly raised her eyebrows. "Well...you're keeping his!" she laughed. "I very much doubt Miss Vale would do the same if she ever got whiff of her boyfriend's nightly activities. It would be front page news."

"I'm sure he knows that too," Selina agreed. "It must be all a ruse for his image. Bruce wouldn't marry someone like that."

Selina's legs had gone pleasantly numb, the champagne having a delightful warming effect. But it didn't stop the sudden rush of her heart as the limo pulled up at the kerb of the Clarence Hotel. The limo pulled in between a roped off area, where a red carpet awaited to lead them into the newly refurbished hotel. Selina did a double take at the amount of paparazzi stationed either side of the roped of areas.

"My god...you'd think it was the Oscars!" she marvelled as Holly took a peek over her shoulder, nudging her in the ribs.

"Yeah," the brunette agreed a sly grin on her face. "I should have brought a better looking date!"

Selina elbowed her in the arm as Holly slid across the seat. They both spent an extra moment or two fluffing up their hair and examining their reflections in the mirrors of their compacts, before catching each other's eyes and laughing.

The door swung open and Selina blinked as light bulbs popped in her vision. She straightened herself and gracefully moved along the carpet, smiling at the cameras, her friend only inches behind. Selina knew she looked outstanding. Her gown was floor length and covered her from the clavicle down to her wrists. The only skin that was shown was the vast length of her thigh through the slit in the dress. Her shoes were gold, diamonte and three inches high, making her appear taller than most of the men taking her photo. With her platinum hair piled up and her red lipstick, she looked like a Scandinavian model.

Finally they reached the lobby of the Clarence, a huge expanse of marble columns and luxurious leather recliners. In the centre of the lobby was a large ornate fountain, neon lights beaming up though the pale water. Selina had never been in such a beautiful hotel and could only imagine what the suites looked like. A tall man in a tux greeted them as they wandered through the lobby.

"Miss Kyle...Miss Truman," he smiled pleasantly. "If you would make your way to the ballroom, the dinner will begin in twenty minutes."

Holly let out a huff as they wandered away. "I felt like a film star just now," she gushed.

"Well this has been organised by Wayne Enterprises," Selina offered cynically. "The master does know how to spend money...and this is his hotel."

Holly turned to stare at her wide eyed. "I have to agree with you Selina...you are an idiot!"

Selina burst out laughing and linked her arm through her friend's. They walked briskly down a sweeping set of marble steps towards large double oak doors. Selina could hear a low din from within the room, people laughing and a soft melody of a harp; she immediately began to tremble and fought down her nerves.

They stopped briefly at the door, Selina turning anxiously in Holly's direction. "Just swear not to leave me," she said urgently and Holly raised her eyebrows. She had never seen Selina this anxious before.

"I swear," Holly promised crossing her fingers over her cleavage. "Unless of course I happen to meet that Thomas Elliot you were telling me about and then you'll be getting a cab home."

Selina rolled her eyes, remembering the overzealous Bruce Wayne look alike from the Wayne Housewarming. "Well...deal," she retorted. "I just hope you can handle him."

Using the flat of her hand, Selina pushed the door wide and took a step forward. She was relieved to see that no one really turned in their direction all at once. The room was dimly lit and very full. A large gilded frame awaited them and Holly ran her finger tip down the table plan and quickly found their names. There must have been about thirty round tables set out in the massive expanse of room. As they wandered through the crowds, Selina noted the huge martini glasses in the centre of each table, each with bright red, velvety roses gushing over the lip. It was a well organised event and it didn't take long for a waiter to appear at their table handing each of them a cocktail.

Three cocktails and a three course dinner later, Selina was full to the brim and was relieved that there was no sign of Bruce Wayne. Maybe he had decided to skip the dinner and wait for the awards? Maybe he had heard she was going to be crowned winner and had decided not to come at all? That last thought depressed her even more than she liked.

Selina felt fuzzy and light headed, her earlier onset of nerves forcing her to down those drinks quicker than she would normally. She was terrified now that she would see him. She didn't think she could string a sentence together let alone try and appear aloof and haughty. The alcohol had made her emotional and tired and she slumped her shoulders, sipping the large glass of water that Holly had poured her. She knew she looked bad as her usually calm friend kept darting nervous glances at her.

"When are they going to get on with it?" Selina grumbled miserably. "I just want to go to bed."

Holly sighed. "I think it'll start when everyone's finished their desert," she offered. Selina stared down at her empty plate, practically licked clean. When Selina drank, she ate. And she usually ate fast.

"I finished mine ten minutes ago," she whined folding her arms and Holly did her best to suppress a smile.

"Why don't you go for a walk...to the bathroom? Maybe fix your face or something?"

Selina's face dropped. "Why? Oh god do I look drunk?"

"No," Holly laughed. "I just think it might help to have a walk."

Selina sat up straight and then moved elegantly to her feet, but not before shooting her friend a glare. "If I fall and break my neck in these heels then I'll blame you," she said and then caught herself. "Am I slurring?"

Holly giggled. "Not yet. I won't let you say anything to anyone just yet."

Selina had to admit that walking around the lobby seemed to clear her head. Breathing deeply, she headed for the ladies bathroom and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Hazily, she applied a little more lipstick and pinched her cheeks to make them pink. Alcohol always seemed to make her drain of colour. One of the stalls behind her opened and Selina didn't notice the small attractive blonde until she was washing her hands next to her.

"Hello," the pretty woman smiled up at her, her blue eyes flashing admiringly. "You must be Selina Kyle?"

Selina's stomach twisted in a knot. Sucking air through her nose and straightening her spine she smiled down at the miniature blonde, letting a dazzling smile creep across her face. The blonde faltered a little, like most women did when they first met her. It reminded Selina of the day she had met Rachel Dawes and that look of bitter disappointment on her face when she had shown up to the fundraiser for Harvey Dent. That seemed like a lifetime ago.

Selina held out her hand. "And you must be Vicki Vale? I recognise you from the news clippings."

"Oh," the blonde gushed, flicking her long tresses over her shoulder. "The paps are always catching us when we're out. It gets so tedious...never being left alone."

That was like a red hot knife in the gut. Selina recovered. "How...annoying for you," she smiled, her jaw tight enough to crack a nut.

Selina had to admit that the little reporter was lovely, in a soft feminine way that Selina could never be. She had piercing eyes and a slender, full figure. Her dress was candy pink and nipped in everywhere it should do; revealing leg, revealing bust and Selina admired the smooth skin of her shoulder blades. She suddenly felt freakishly tall, her scaring almost burning under the gown she was wearing.

"So I hear congratulations are in order?" Vicki Vale probed. "I must come into your gallery in town. Bruce wants to choose some more art for his bedroom and I know he enlisted your services before."

Selina tried to smile but it wouldn't reach her eyes. "That's right," she nodded tightly. If the reporter knew about any of Selina's previous dealings with Bruce then she was doing a tremendous job of sticking the knife in. The thought of them together made her want to choke.

"And the new children's home...when will that be ready?"

Selina bounced back, happy to be off the subject of Bruce and onto her new project. "It's ready. I'm actually moving in tomorrow. It's been quite an endeavour. I'll just be glad to get it up and running!"

Selina made a move as if to exit the bathroom, praying the blonde would stay behind and fix her lipstick. But to her dismay, Miss Vale kept to her side walking out into the corridor alongside her.

"It must have been stressful, what with all those plans that needed to be passed," Vicki Vale agreed, looking up into Selina's face. "Bruce didn't think it would happen at one stage and that's why he got Wayne Enterprises involved. I think you'd still be seeking consent if it wasn't for him."

Selina stopped cold, her eyes glazing over as she stared down hatefully at the smaller woman. Through sheer will, she kept the smile on her face, unwilling to admit that her blood had run suddenly chilly.

"Yes you're right," she nodded. "I owe him so much...tell me...is he here tonight?"

Vicki balked and shook her shoulders. "He's in Gulliver's, the other restaurant upstairs. He didn't want to come in for the dinner."

Selina grinned. "Great thanks," she chirped, whirring about on her heels. She left Vicki calling after her that he was in a meeting, but Selina barely heard her. She stalked up the marble staircase, her heels clicking violently as she went. She found out from the concierge that Gulliver's was on the top floor. It was a classy, expensive restaurant that overlooked Gotham's lights. Selina waited impatiently for the elevator and then pressed the button for the fortieth floor when it finally arrived.

She didn't know why she was suddenly so angry. If anything she knew that she should feel flattered that Bruce had gotten involved. But she thought for once that this had been something she'd accomplished on her own and now she had to thank her silent partner. She knew that Bruce would have insisted that his name be kept out of it. If it hadn't been for the loud mouth blonde, Selina would have never known.

Forced on by her sudden surge of courage, Selina stepped out of the elevator and waltzed through the restaurant. It wasn't long before she spotted him, sitting in a corner table. She sucked in air though her teeth, the sight of him after so long rendering her a little lost. Stiffening her shoulders, she crossed the room, winding through the tables, her long gown wafting after her. He heard her coming before he saw her, lifting his steel eyes to her green ones, flashing down at him vehemently.

He stood rigidly, nearly taking the table cloth with him, the cutlery clattering as his knees knocked the table. A flush appeared across his cheekbones and she could read his shock at seeing her, it softened her heart a little. She saw him make a full sweep of her body with his eyes, that only added to her strength and she was glad he had the decency to look a little sheepish.

"Selina..." he began gently. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"I'm in no doubt of that," she smiled serenely, revealing her white even teeth. "But I had to come. I hear I owe you a thank you."

"Ahh...Lucius," he turned to his companion who was staring up at her wide eyed. "This is Miss Kyle. She is the winner of Business woman of the year...which she's actually missing right now."

Selina finally turned her flashing eyes to the older gentleman. He was grey haired and had smooth, freckled skin. He had the kind of eyes that appeared a little amused, like he was enjoying a private joke. He stood and Selina had no choice but to shake his hand.

"Congratulations Miss Kyle," he said in his smooth voice. "I'm Lucius Fox, Bruce's business associate. It's a fine thing you've achieved in rebuilding that home."

"Thank you," Selina said tightly, avoiding his eyes. She knew she was being rude but she didn't care.

"Well..." Mr. Fox said awkwardly. "I can see you two have things to discuss...I'll be seeing you Mr. Wayne."

Lucious Fox strolled past Selina and she waited for him to be out of earshot before turning her fiery gaze back at her intended victim. But to her surprise he had stepped a little closer and his proximity alarmed her, knocking her slightly off guard. She automatically took a step back to regain composure.

"Were you _ever_ going to tell me?" she fired at him. "Were you _ever_ even going to speak to me?"

Bruce bit his lower lip, making him appear boyish and timid. He looked up at her under his lashes and Selina tried to ignore how good he smelled. She tried to forget what it was like to kiss him and have him look at her that way. The alcohol still in her blood was making her emotional and needy.

"Selina...sit down," he urged but she shook her head wilfully. "Ok fine...then let's go to the balcony. I could use some fresh air."

He took her by the elbow and guided her through the restaurant. There were a large set of glass doors that led out onto a terraced area. Selina shivered, instantly feeling the cold and Bruce shrugged out of his jacket. He placed it around her shoulders and she recoiled angrily. She shrugged off his expensive garment and threw it back at him.

"I don't want your damn jacket!" she hissed. "I want to know why you had to get involved in _my_ business!"

He stared down at his rumpled suit jacket, almost a little crestfallen. He sighed. "It's not just your business Selina."

"What is that supposed to mean?" she spat, waving her hands in the air. She was aware that other diners who had wandered out for fresh air were staring at them. It was a very romantic setting, with the view of Gotham's twinkling lights but she tried to ignore that. "Just because you own hotels and hundreds of businesses doesn't give you the right to interfere. What do you care about some shitty piece of land in the narrows?"

"Arr...because I owned the land. You bought that land from me."

Selina blinked. "The city owned the land," she corrected him haughtily.

"No...I owned the land. Right after Falcone was murdered I bought the land from the city. I own a lot of things Selina."

Selina blinked back tears. "Well you don't own me Bruce. Why did you have to get involved?"

He laughed. "Aren't you glad I did? I helped push through those plans."

Selina whirled away from him, her face suddenly hot and embarrassed. She was tearing up and she couldn't control it. She wiped her nose hastily. "But why? After everything I've put you though. Surely I'd be the last person you'd want to sell to."

"It wasn't anything to do with you...believe it or not," he added the last part with a hint of sarcasm, making Selina bristle. "My _mother_ was a patron of that place. And believe or not I had a similar idea myself. But you beat me to it."

Her arms folded tightly, she turned back to stare at him. "But you didn't have to sell it to me," she whispered. "You could have done it alone and probably a hundred times better."

He stepped closer, his hands shoved in his pockets. "But _you _needed to do it," he said quietly. "I know now why you took that money from Falcone. I understand Selina."

She smiled bitterly at him, turning her face away. "So I've redeemed myself in your eyes?" she said coolly. He shrugged and shook his head, knowing that whatever he said he was defeated. She was clearly upset with him for more reasons than just selling her a piece of land. He fought the urge to step closer, keeping his hands firmly in his suit pockets where they were safe and not likely to want to touch her.

Finally she looked back at him, her body half facing the glass doors, her chin touching her shoulder blade. In the dim light of the terrace, and half lit by the moon above, she was mesmerising and he knew that he was on shaky ground. "Well I suppose I should say thank you," she said, her voice empty and not in the least bit thankful.

"I don't want your thanks. I only wanted to help. It's a great plan Selina and you deserve that award tonight," he said.

"I didn't do it for that," she answered dully.

"I know," he whispered. The night was becoming chillier and she regretted throwing his jacket at him.

Selina was relenting; he could see it in her softened expression. Suddenly she drew her brows together and looked at him sharply. "But...would you _ever _have told me?"

He shrugged. "I was hoping that I wouldn't have to. I didn't exactly want to see you Selina."

Stung she recoiled inwardly, but knew she deserved it. "I guess I can't blame you for that."

He exhaled loudly, knowing that they were heading for the conversation he'd been dreading. "It was easier for me to cut off from you," he admitted. "To try and get on with my life...what little I have of one. You chose another man and my stupid male pride was hideously wounded. And not only did you choose another guy but..._him_."

Selina bowed her head, too ashamed to even look at him. "Bruce..."

"You chose a man who murdered a woman that I loved," he was on a tirade now and Selina lifted her chin and took it. "I can't ever pretend to know what connection or hold it is that he has over you. In truth it makes me a little sick."

Selina gritted her teeth and folded her arms against the cold evening chill. She had the sense that this was the sort of speech he'd spent hours practising in his head. He was really letting her have it and she knew that she owed him to listen and bite her tongue.

"I was pushed to my limit Selina," he added hastily, his tone speeding up in a rush to try and say all he felt. "That night I put everything I've worked for on the line. Gordon was nearly killed for god sake. But despite all that...despite being tackled by a girl half my size and letting the Joker get away _again_...despite all that...I still couldn't get you out of my head. And it was just easier not to see you."

"Bruce...I'm so sorry for what happened that night," she dipped her head, running her hand over her eyes. "I really am."

"I'm sorry I never told you that I owned the land," he said finally. "I wanted to see you Selina, believe me. I like seeing you now."

A void of silence drifted between them but Selina suddenly felt calmer and more settled than she had in months.

"Maybe you should come by," she said, dipping her chin, looking up at him through thick, black lashes. "When we're open and ready...you should come and see the place."

Bruce smiled. "I'd like that."

"Your mother...was all I ever wanted to be when I was a kid," Selina admitted, feeling a knot in her throat. "I watched her when she visited and I thought she was like a princess. When she died, Alfred brought a box of her things over for the nurses and one of them let me have her lipstick. Did you know that?"

Bruce's face lifted, his eyes creasing at the sides. "No, he never told me that."

"I still have it," Selina smiled up at him. "I never wore it really, but I still have it. She was like an angel and it killed me that I could never be like her. One of the nurses told me when I was a kid that I was going to be pretty and I could marry into wealth. That really, that was my only option. Or I'd end up like them. The thought was terrifying Bruce. We all have our reasons for the things we do. We all have that moment in life that drives us. That was my moment. Being told I couldn't have the thing I wanted the most, because I simply wasn't privileged enough."

Bruce inched a little nearer, trying not to shiver from the cold. He nodded his head for her to continue.

"Jack...told me otherwise. He told me that I could have anything I wanted...that anything was possible. I just had to get it for myself. And that was the reason I couldn't give him up to you before. It was because in his own offbeat way...he saved me from that life."

Silence lapsed between them. Bruce stared at the floor, chewing his bottom lip. Selina finally lifted her head, pushing tendrils of loose hair out of her eyes.

"And in case you're wondering...he's gone," she said slowly, exhaling as she said it. "He's _really _gone."

Bruce's stony face softened, making look young and boyish. His lips curled into a shy smile.

"Well in case you were wondering...I'm not engaged. Not even close, _believe_ me."

Selina pressed her lips together, suppressing a sly grin. "I think you should tell her that. She wants to pick out art for your bedroom."

Bruce made a face, which almost said 'ouch' and Selina laughed. She wrapped her arms around her waist and made to walk for the doors. But then she changed direction and walked right up to him. He didn't have time to remove his hands from his pockets, as she leaned closer and planted a red kiss right next to his mouth. He turned his head to try and catch her mouth but she snuck away.

"That's all the thanks I get," he chuckled as she walked away. She tossed him a wink over her shoulder.

"You can have part two when you come and see me at Humberside," she promised, loving the way he blushed and looked at the floor. He really wasn't the womaniser he proclaimed himself to be.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he called after her and she didn't answer. Rubbing her shoulders for warmth, she found herself back in the elevator moments later. She was grinning like an idiot, her face a little flushed despite the cold. They could be friends at least. It was nice to know that he still cared and even if it took a little while, there was a possibility that friendship could become something more.

The grin was wiped off her face as they elevator doors swung back and revealed her friend standing in the lobby, a glass trophy in her hand and her hand on one hip. Holly threw her a black look and marched towards her. People were piling out of the ballroom and into the crowded lobby. Selina smiled sheepishly, edging through the crowd.

"I said go for a walk...not a hike. I had to go up on stage and accept your award. Like a moron!"

Holly's tone was acidic but Selina planted a kiss on her friend's cheek.

"You deserve it more than I do," she said pleasantly, linking her arm through Holly's. "Let's get out of here though."

The two women waltzed out of the lobby just as the elevator opened behind them. Bruce Wayne stepped out into the crowd, his hands shoved in his pockets. He caught sight of Selina's gold gown as she exited through the glass doors, the twinkling lights blinking off the fabric. They were laughing at something the smaller one had just said and his heart clenched in his chest, wishing it were he in the smaller ones place.

He peered over the crowds as the two women got into a limo that was waiting for them outside. Bruce licked his lips and ducked his head, trying to avoid the glare of admiring eyes as he passed. Somewhere in the building, he knew that his lovely date was waiting for him, but tonight he just couldn't pretend. His heart felt deflated and empty. He couldn't sit across a table from her, pretending to be engaged in her small talk. Not tonight.

But his heart lifting a little, he knew there was hope. He could still feel her kiss on his skin. There was hope of something more. He just preyed that he would never have to make good on his vow to Gordon. The night of the Joker's last appearance, Gordon had made Batman swear to bring the Cat in if he was to ever catch her. Bruce cleared his throat and pushed his way through the bodies until he was out on the sidewalk. He prayed that the Cat was no more and that Selina Kyle would continue to be a good girl.

/

The removal men turned up at eight thirty on the dot in the middle of a thunder storm. It had started during the night and had woken Selina from a deep sleep. Blearily she had been startled awake and found herself bolt upright, the pillows strewn over the bed and her covers in a tangle.

There had been a shadow by the window and her heart had leapt into her throat. Lightening had made the room light up, every shape illuminated and for one split second Selina had held back a scream. The room became dark once more and overhead the sky erupted with thunder drowning out her voice as she called out a name.

On shaky legs she had fallen out of bed and flung open the window, feeling the rain splatter in her face. She climbed out onto the fire escape, her feet sliding across the metal rungs as she stared down into the alley below. Soaked through to the skin, the rain battering her from above, she peered into the dark void. Was someone moving around down there?

She wanted to call out but couldn't find her voice and she reminded herself sharply that the window had been closed. She swallowed the lump in her throat, her limbs trembling from their rude awakening as she climbed back inside and collapsed on her bed. Sleep had not been far behind. She woke up late, having slept through her alarm. With her neck twisted uncomfortably, she blinked at the clock, hearing a familiar voice calling her from outside her door.

Holly had greeted her with a coffee and a bagel. In a pair of faded jeans and an oversized shirt, Selina had joined her friend in the gallery downstairs while the removal men had begun to take apart her home. She watched them cart out box after box.

"That was a hell of a storm last night," Holly said, perching on the desk top. "They think the rain will last all day."

Selina was exhausted and bleary eyed. She wanted to tell her friend that she thought that Jack had made an appearance last night. But she knew that she was being crazy and that Holly would just tell her the same thing. She would say that it was something to do with Bruce and seeing him again, stirring up old feelings and emotions. It also didn't help that Holly and Selina had ended their evening with tequila in the local bar.

It wasn't long before the van was packed up and the two women were squashed into the front seats with the driver, as they made their way across town. It was still early for a Gotham Sunday, and the streets were quiet and wet, puddles stretching down the long alleys. The sky overhead was bleak and cloudy, no chance of the sunshine making a cameo. Selina had to admit she was apprehensive about the move. She was nervous about seeing the place, even though she had spent a good portion of her time there recently.

The van pulled up over the newly laid gravel, crunching to a halt outside the newly rebuilt home. Selina didn't realise she was holding her breath as she climbed out of the van, her sneakers sinking into the gravel. She exhaled and blinked back tears. It was perfect. Humberside was three stories high, brick built with a grey slate roof and wrap around wooden porch. The lawn ran in two long stretches either side of the long pathway. Her heart flew into her chest and she pressed her hands to her lips.

As if on cue Jonah appeared on the front porch with a stiff broom, having not seen the van pull up. He began to sweep away the collected dust on the porch, peering up as soon as he hear Selina's footsteps bounding across the gravel towards him. His face cracked in a smile and she laughed, leaping up the porch steps and throwing her arms around him. He squeezed her hard and practically lifted her out of her shoes.

"When did you get here?" she said after he released her to the ground.

"About half hour ago. I did say that the minute that I was standing back in my old office I'd come and work here, you remember?" he laughed. "And I have to say it looks pretty good."

Selina grinned up at him wickedly. "I actually think you said you would work here for _free_," she winked. "But don't worry I'll let you off that one."

He looked glassy eyed for a moment, placing his large hand on her slim shoulder. "You think you have room for an ex con like me?"

Selina leaned up on her toes and kissed his craggy face. "It wouldn't be the same without you."

The removal men began to unload boxes and the day seemed to pass very quickly after that. Even though inside the place was freshly painted, the walls seemed glaringly bare and white. In all the floor space of the original building had nearly doubled in size. Everything from the kitchens to the bedrooms had been completely redesigned. One of Selina's requirements had been that the older residents have a proper room to themselves, one with books and comfortable seats and even a flat screen. It wasn't like the old days with a room full of children huddled around a crackling television.

There was an extensive playroom for the younger ones, with books and toys still yet to be delivered. The doctor had his own office and all the nurses had a rest room as well as their own living quarters should they require it. Not only had Selina had to hire a cook, she'd had to hire cleaners and office managers to run the operational side of the business.

She spent the day combing over the home, room by room. She had her own apartment which was on the ground floor. It was small and cosy, not unlike her place above the gallery. Towards the end of the day, Holly began unpacking in Selina's apartment while she dished out orders to Jonah who had thrown himself gladly into his new role. The place might be brand new, but it was dusty and everything needed a good clean before anyone could come in.

He was vacuuming in the hall, distracted and Selina found herself drawn to the foot of the stairs. Placing her hand on the banister she ran her palm along its length as she climbed, her throat working itself into a tight knot as she reached the second floor staircase.

Up there it was dark and shadowy, the halls polished and unexplored. Her feet felt numb as she forced them to move, taking each step one at a time. She shivered as the wind whipped up outside and automatically wrapped her arms around her chest. Swallowing she found her head level with the landing of the second floor. She closed her eyes.

_My name is Jack..._

Selina gave a start, a chill running across her legs. "Get a grip," she told herself sternly. Exhaling loudly, she realised that she was on the second floor. It was eerily quiet up here. But Selina told herself she was being ridiculous. It was a brand new building, the smell of fresh paint still lingering in the air. She jerked suddenly, her whole body turning towards the large floor to ceiling window that looked out over the front drive. Had she heard whispering?

The entirety of the second floor consisted of two rooms. Towards the back was the Nursery. Selina peered in through the door, admiring the line of twelve brand new cribs all ready and waiting. The room was painted a soft inviting pale green. It made Selina's heart ache and she could almost envision Ally standing at the window with a baby in her arms, rocking it softly. Selina wished Ally was still here to see this place and wondered at what she would think now.

Selina shut the door softly behind her and for the first time in many, many years found herself staring at the door of the white room. Except now the word 'Infirmary' was printed on the door in black letters and Selina was no longer a child. There was nothing in that room that would ever scare her now. She jerked again, her heart leaping into her throat. Once more she was staring at the window, except now her fingers were paused on the handle of the door.

_... "Stop laughing at me...just stop laughing..."_

Shaking her shoulders, Selina ignored the creeping sensation that was pulling at her insides. Instead she took a deep breath and opened the door. The room was immaculate and painted a crisp, sterile white. This wasn't the white room she remembered. There were no straps across the beds for one. There were no bars at the windows. Nobody had ever died in this room and nobody had ever been locked away in here.

"_Why would I want to be somewhere else...when here is just fine for me...?"_

The boy's words flooded back into her memory and she saw two children lying side by side on the floor, staring up at the ceiling, their fingers almost touching. Selina smiled slowly. He had managed to teach her so much by saying so very little. She had been his companion, someone that he'd identified with. He'd seen something of himself inside her and had grabbed hold, never to really let her go. Selina understood why Bruce would never see it. He couldn't. He hadn't been there.

"Selina?" Jonah's voice startled her and she gave a shocked cry, whirling about on her heels. He grinned sheepishly, holding up his hands.

"Sorry," he chuckled. "Jeez you're jumpy!"

Selina recovered, her stomach having plummeted through the floor. "I know...it's getting dark out there. I think there might be a gap in the window on the landing. I keep hearing whistling...whispering...or something."

Jonah made a face and wandered out into the hall. Arms crossed tightly, Selina followed him out. He knelt by the large pane of glass and felt along the frame work. After a while he lifted his head and shook it. "Nah, the place is sealed tight," he reassured her. "But the wind is really getting up out there. Still...you want me to stay here tonight with you? This is a pretty big place to be in all on your own."

Her own silliness washing over her, Selina shook her head. "No I'll be fine," she promised. "Besides I've got deliveries all day tomorrow and tonight I'll be mostly unpacking my room. Suzie is coming over first thing to get me to sign some last minute documents."

Suddenly their conversation was broken by the sight of a delivery truck pulling into the drive. Selina raised her eyebrows and peered out of the window to the gravel below.

"Looks like your first one is here already," Jonah commented as Selina shrugged her shoulders. Selina watched as Holly crossed the drive way towards the man climbing out of the cab. She took his clipboard and signed for the delivery, her hair whipping up in her face. She said something to the driver and he laughed as he turned to go to the back door of the van. From here he pulled out a large crate and hauled it up the steps of the porch.

By the time Selina had reached the ground floor the driver was gone and the van pulling out of the drive. Holly was bent over the crate and pulling off the packing note with her fingertips.

"I wasn't expecting anything today," Selina remarked as she took the note out of Holly's fingers.

"It's a gift from Wayne Enterprises," Holly told her. She leaned down and heaved off the lid, revealing the contents. "Children's books."

Selina's heart swelled. "Is there a note?" she asked hopefully as Holly began to rifle through the crate, pulling out the Styrofoam packaging. She shook her dark head. Selina nudged her friend aside and began to pull the various brightly coloured books out of the crate. Soon the two of them were down on their knees, surrounded by images from their childhood, enjoying exploring the contents of the crate.

"Oh I love this one!" Holly cooed holding up a copy of Cinderella. "This was so sweet of him. Hopefully it won't be long before he makes an appearance."

Selina didn't say anything, merely smiled with her eyes as she grabbed another handful. It was a lovely gesture, she had to admit. The books she remembered from her childhood had all been pretty worn and used, some of the pages torn out and coloured over. But these were crisp and new with brightly painted illustrations and gorgeous glossy covers. Selina set another pile down in front of her and began to thumb through them. Then she saw one that made her let out an involuntary yelp, the book slipping through her fingers and onto her lap.

"What is it?" Holly looked up sharply. "You look like you've seen a..."

"No I'm fine," Selina scrambled to her feet. "I'm fine." Shaking she stalked past Holly in the hallway, who watched her dart out of the front door into the fine rain storm that had started. Gripping the children's book firmly she waited until she was outside before exhaling. Her feet crunched wildly across the gravel as she paced across the drive making her way towards the trash cans that were placed neatly by the entrance.

Trembling she took a peak at the front cover, her heart in her mouth. She read the title over and over, her eyes scanning but not really seeing. The picture of the little blond orphan with large doe eyes on the front cover almost made her gag and without another thought, she seized the lid of the can, yanking it open and let the book tumble inside it. It clanged loudly as it hit the bottom of the can, giving her another start.

"I'm not that girl anymore," she whispered. Feeling marginally guilty that a brand new book was laying discarded at the bottom of a trash can, Selina shook her head and began to pace back. She lifted her head, her eyes roaming across the building, settling at the second floor window. At first she thought the shadow at the window had been Jonah, but then he appeared on the porch with his mop bucket, chucking the contents onto the grass. Selina swallowed and walked back indoors, knowing that this time she couldn't have been mistaken.

It was almost as if he were still here, a little boy with his head in bandages, watching her every move from above.

/

At three in the morning, when the storm hit Gotham for the second night in a row, Selina wished she had taken Jonah up on his offer. Her eyelids felt like lead, wanting to pull shut, to lure her into sleep, but Selina's mind wouldn't allow her to rest.

The rest of the afternoon had drifted into a windy, chilly evening, the clouds above threatening the brewing storm. Selina had stood on the porch and waved to Jonah and Holly as they left together in his beaten up old truck. Instead of going straight back indoors, Selina had grabbed her jacket and headed for the nearest convenience store. In future all food orders would be delivered directly but right now she had bare cupboards and a growling tummy.

She had to tell herself to remember that this was the narrows and the nearest store was over a mile walk and not like the sweet, warm and friendly places she was used to. The nearest one smelled of tobacco, the door buzzing loudly as she entered. She noticed instantly that she was on security camera. The greying man behind the cashier's desk served her with a wary eye and Selina realised that a woman like her was often not seen in these areas. She bought coffee and sugar, biscuits and bread. She bought bleach and shower gel and a frozen pizza, enough to keep her going until the food order would arrive tomorrow. She travelled back to the house in pitch black darkness, the odd lamp lighting the narrow streets, her sneakers splashing through puddles as she went.

She wasn't alarmed when she heard the sound of smashing glass behind her. A drunk had stumbled out onto the street from a bar, now becoming packed with customers. Selina was capable of taking care of herself. In fact she would welcome a bit of a work out. She realised that it had been half a year since she'd been in any kind of fight. It had been all that time since she'd been bruised, punched, kicked or had shed any blood. She wondered if she still could manage it, after all she was a corporate girl now, an admired business woman.

Instinctively she knew that she could. She had beaten a man to death with her bare hands. She knew she was a survivor. Elliot's death had never really left her. She had taken his life away and the good person that lurked within her knew that she was no better than he for that. He should have ended his days in a prison cell. But then he'd done unimaginable things to Holly, and the demon that was the other half of her soul had not allowed for that possibility. Wherever he had been, he would always be able to get to her somehow. And now, he was nothing more than a shell rotting in Gotham cemetery.

Shivering at her darkened mood, she unlocked the door to Humberside, greeted with dark echoey halls, the sudden rain almost chasing in behind her. A chill ran across her shoulders, but she made her way to her own apartment, where she had left on the lights. Jonah had set up her television, so she thought at least she would have some kind of company.

She ate her pizza and watched television. Not even remotely sleepy, she began unpacking her clothes, wondering at her peculiar reaction to the day's events. Selina had achieved everything she had set out to do, and yet here in the place she had once loved, she felt surrounded by ghosts. Maybe that was the reason for her startling reaction to the book? Seeing that front cover had been like being sloshed with a bucket of ice water. At once she'd been eight years old, terrified and alone. That was _his _name for her, _only _her and he was gone. Maybe it was just the reminder that he was gone and not coming back?

The illustration had been of a wide eyed little blonde girl, selling her wares in the cold, snowy streets. Selina had seen her own reflection staring back up at her and she had not liked it. It was as if her own ghost were looking up at her, the thought made her quiver. She had worked hard to leave that child behind, but it was as if fate would not let her forget.

Later she climbed into a half made bed and fell into a restless slumber only to be woken hours later but the storm overhead. It was almost as if it was following her around. Sitting in her living room, on her familiar furniture, surrounded by unpacked crates, Selina had the television on mute and sat listening to the raging weather outside. But then her spine stiffened and like a cat, her neck stretched and her ears pricked back.

She felt beads of sweat gather on her forehead. That hadn't been the storm. She'd clearly heard footsteps, shuffling around in the hallway outside her apartment. Biting her lip, she uncoiled from the sofa, feeling adrenaline powering to her calves. She suspected that something like this could happen. That perhaps local thugs or gangs would take an interest in a brand new building.

She raced on silent feet to her chest that Jonah had placed in her bedroom. It was packed full of her old weapons and her suits. Selina drew out her Japanese knife, the one with the wooden handle and felt her arm tingle. Wrapping her fingers around the hilt, she crept to her door and slowly, carefully unlocked it. The bolt clanged and she winced, the sound echoing around the empty hallway outside.

She inched the door open, her toes sliding across the polished floor, greeted by the darkness. It took her eyes a second or two to adjust. Overhead the rain was pounding on the slate roof. Selina ducked low, keeping to the shadows, feeling heat creep up her throat. There was someone else here. She could sense it; she could feel their presence, almost hear the whisper of their breathing. Despite her iron resolve, her fingers trembled on the knife; she swallowed, tasting bile, mixed with her own fear.

The sky cracked in two, like a florescent bulb there was a moment when the entire hall had been awakened by light. It had only been a second, but she had seen _him_. Or she had seen someone. It had been the shadow of a hunched figure by the door, the head slightly bowed. Selina's eyes had widened, her mouth open. Stumbling forward in the dark, she screamed his name, just as the thunder bellowed above.

Tears stinging her eyes, she heard a door slam somewhere in the building. Her heart sped and she flew for the nearest light switch, squinting as the hallway was illuminated. She ran forward, her toe kicking something and she gasped, looking down at the small object in her path. To her dismay, the front cover of the book stared up at her, making her recoil in horror. She scooted back, too terrified to even look at it. Second later she grabbed it and noticed that something in pen had been scrawled across the doe eyed girl's face.

Gasping Selina read the words aloud. "I see you...don't forget who you are..."

Then she was running for the door, throwing it open and dashing out onto the soaked porch. The rain lashed through her clothing in moments as she stood there, peering out into the dark driveway.

"Jack..._come back_!" she sobbed, feeling tears bubble up her throat. "Please come back..."

She collapsed on the top step, her arms folding across her knees. She sobbed into her shirt, wondering at how long he had been here and why he hadn't shown himself. Like a true ghost he'd disappeared into the night, leaving her alone and lost. She realised miserably that he'd probably been here all day and that was why she'd felt so jumpy. So on edge.

A part of her had known he was here. Why the hell hadn't she realised? Had she changed so much in so short a time? Selina looked out into the darkness, wishing he would come back to her, knowing that was impossible now. He'd come back for a reason, to remind her of what she was. That she was more than just Selina Kyle, Business Woman of the year. That she could never move on from that life. It was just who she was.

"I do remember...I _do_ remember," she cried into the night, hoping that wherever he was, he might hear her.


	40. Doomed

**Well Hello everyone. Long time no see and no updates. I'm prepared to be severely told off and I'm hoping that you will still remember me! I know that it's been a ridiculously long time. I last updated just after I had my baby girl and after that life just got too busy. Sleepless nights, looking after home and work, plus then baby turns into manic toddler have left me little time to write. And when I came to do it, I felt like it wasn't right, that I wasn't going to give this story the ending it deserved. Then 'Rises' came out and I was so annoyed that I still hadn't finished this. So lots of rewrites and editing later, here it is in its 24 pages of glory. Its long. So prepare yourself and make tea or something. I also want to say a massive, massive thank you to all of you who've stuck with me this far. I'm so thrilled to have had such positive response and I welcome your thoughts on this last chapter, good or bad (hopefully not too bad). I hope it ends the way you want it to. So, here it is! LBG xxx**

**Doomed**

Selina's boots clattered noisily as she climbed the fire escape ladder, her breath coming in short pants as she heaved herself upwards. Every muscle in her upper thighs protested as she continued her punishing ascent, sweat breaking out across her back as below the cop car skidded into the alley.

Damn it, she gritted her teeth, barely sparing a second glance as at once three officers tumbled out of the car, their siren still wailing, and flashing their torches up in her direction.

"The Cat!" one of them shouted excitedly and that was all the encouragement Selina needed. Fuelled by a burst of adrenaline, she ran across the fire escape, mentally judging the distance between this one and the next. Without hesitation she jumped, her arms extending and her gloved hands closing around a metal wrung. With her hair firmly tucked into her mask, she felt the night breeze skim her cheeks as she leapt and landed nicely on someone's roof garden. Her legs buckled and for a moment she stopped to breathe. That was until she heard the sound of heavy boots on steps, racing upwards in her direction.

"Almost as bad as the Bat," she hissed impatiently. But she was on the home stretch now and she knew that the least she could manage was to outrun three overweight cops. Hidden by the night, Selina found her way off the roof and into another alley below, giving herself a chance to catch her breath.

What the hell had she been thinking? Only an hour ago she had been planted nicely on her sofa with Chinese take out and one of her favourite movies about to come on the television. Then almost as if she had been compelled to, she had found herself kneeling before her old weapons chest, fingering the material of her old suit. The need to slip it on had been undeniable. Her fingers had tingled as she had zipped up the suit, her eyes widening as she had stood back to admire her form in the mirror. And then, she had begun to wonder. Was she still capable? Was her body still able to do those things? And would she still get a kick out of it?

"Well you have your answer," she said to herself, ripping the mask away from her face, feeling sweaty and uncomfortable, tossing her head to allow her hair to trail down her back. She also couldn't ignore the argument that her old friend had been right all along. She couldn't change who she was, no matter how many business awards she won. Shaking her head in disgust at her stupid behaviour, Selina picked up her pace and jogged the rest of the way back to Humberside, keeping to the shadows. Tonight had been a wakeup call in more ways than one. One that she hadn't forgotten the Cat and two, it seemed that nor had Gotham.

With the Joker gone and Batman's activities unusually quiet, Selina was a good catch. And it was a sharp reminder of Gordon's warning to her that day in the hospital. He'd be watching her.

The small window to her ground floor apartment was still open and she could see her curtain blowing in the night breeze. But this wasn't like slipping into her old bedroom above the gallery. She had to climb and her upper arms were still quivering with the recent, unexpected exercise. She crawled through the window, but landed awkwardly, the heel of her boot catching on something on the floor. With a yelp she fell and clattered noisily against her dresser. She bumped her head on the wooden edge of the dresser, momentarily seeing stars, opening her eyes to see what had tripped her.

In the darkness she half smiled at herself. Tidiness was not her strong suit and she mentally scolded herself for not packing away her new leather boots in their box. Sighing she picked herself up off the floor and began to feel around in the darkness for the light by her bed. Loud wrapping noises on the door made her back stiffen and her neck arched back. There was a moment's pause and then it came once more, only slightly more urgent.

"Miss Kyle?" a voice followed the third knock. "Miss Kyle are you alright in there?"

Selina's eyes widened in the dark and she swallowed. It was Mikey, one of her newest teenage residents. In her stupidity she had temporarily forgotten that in the two weeks he'd been here, Mike had not been great at sleeping, often spending his nights in the dayroom watching late night television. He'd obviously heard her sloppy entrance.

Selina scrambled to find her robe in the dark, slipping it easily over her suit. She tossed her hair about her face and rubbed her eyes to feign waking from a deep sleep. She crept into the hall of her apartment and flicked on the tiffany lamp that sat on her phone table. Bright light made her squint and pretending to yawn she unlocked her door.

Mike was seventeen, tall and thin, but under his loose t shirt he was surprisingly compact. His brows knitted together in an almost permanent frown, hiding steel blue eyes and he had a short, straight nose. He looked like any other healthy, strong teenage boy only that he had a distinctive feature. An ugly, purple scar ran from the edge of his right eyebrow down to the corner of his mouth. In the short time he'd been at Humberside, he hadn't made many friendships, preferring to keep to himself. He worked out a lot in the small gym, he read too, his eyes always distant and downcast stuck in the covers of an old book. Selina often found him sitting alone in the dayroom.

Mike was her sixth teenager from Blackgate Juvenile Detention Centre. So far they had all been around the sixteen or seventeen age range and only one of them was female. Some of them talked, most didn't and it took a lot of them to even want to be around the other kids. Selina had a great team at the home and little by little the doctors and nurses had made progress. Selina found it easy to talk to them and she often found herself holed up with them watching movies or playing cards. They could relate to her. When she spent time with them, her lipstick was gone and the business suit discarded. She could just be Selina in her slacks and hair up in a pony tail, no fancy shoes or makeup.

Mike was taking a little longer to reach than the others. His facial injury made him shy and he often dipped his chin when he spoke. Selina was surprised that he'd had the courage to knock on her door.

"Hey Mikey," she smiled sleepily as she opened the door. He stared up at her under his heavy brow, his fist resting on the frame of her door.

"I heard something crash in there...are you ok?" he said, a streak of red appearing on his cheekbones and Selina's heart melted. He was so painfully shy and it hurt her to imagine what might have happened to him in that hell hole.

"I was getting up for a drink and I tripped over my boots," she grinned sheepishly, running a hand through her loose hair. "Sorry if I startled you."

"Did you hurt yourself?" he asked timidly and she shook her head.

"I'll probably find out in the morning," she answered. "Aren't you sleepy...it's like three am isn't it?"

It was Mike's turn to look sheepish. "Three thirty...it's when all the best TV is on."

Selina frowned at him; placing a hand on his broad shoulder and walking him back out into the hall. She was aware that his entire body stiffened when she touched him and she let her hand slip away, pretending not to have noticed. They were in the darkened hallway by the stairway that led upwards to the floors above and she noticed how spookily quiet it was. There were no infants in residence yet, so the upper floor lay empty.

"Still," Selina turned to him, folding her arms. "You'll end up with bags under your eyes and you're too young for that. You want me to get you a drink or something? A hot chocolate?"

Mike threw her a tempted grin and he raised his eyebrow coyly. "Only if you have one too," he said and Selina let her hands fall to her sides, nodding in defeat. Ten minutes later, they were both standing in the large chrome kitchen that still smelled of the previous evenings cooking. Selina initially couldn't find a thing in the room, having not spent a great deal of time in there. But she wasn't about to invite Mike into her own apartment. With a little help from him, they'd found milk and cocoa powder and had managed to make the steaming hot drinks.

Sipping it in the dimly lit room leaning against the counter top, Selina felt the first pangs of awkwardness begin to rise. She wasn't used to being alone with Mike and he wasn't the easiest kid to talk to. His eyes flicked nervously from his mug to her face and she could feel his embarrassment.

"So...I heard that you grew up here?" he asked casually. Selina sipped the last of her chocolate and placed the mug by the sink.

"You heard right. Well...I grew up in a building that stood here many years ago. It was a lot different then believe me...no flat screens," she made an attempt at a joke and she saw the corners of his mouth rise.

"But it burned down?" he probed and Selina nodded feeling familiar prickles on the back of her neck, the kind she always felt when she was about to lie.

"Yep. I don't know the ins and outs but it was run by the Falcone family back then. We were all evacuated out though. You've heard of the Falcones?"

Mike kept his eyes on the floor. "I've heard of them," he said gruffly.

"Well they weren't a nice gang of people to be involved with. But that's over now anyway."

Mike kicked away from the kitchen counter he'd been leaning on, brushing her shoulder with his as he went to rinse his mug under the tap. "Well that's one good thing the Joker did for Gotham," he muttered through his teeth and Selina turned to stare at his profile. She was on his scar side and couldn't help noticing the way it deliberately curled down his face towards the corner of his mouth.

"I probably shouldn't say stuff like that huh?" Mike stepped back abruptly. "Even if it is true."

Selina swallowed, feeling like she was standing on shaky floorboards that were about to part under her feet. "The Joker _did _end the Falcone reign," she nodded in admittance. "But they should have ended their days in prison."

"What difference does it make though...really?" the younger man fired back, something like passion igniting in his steel eyes. "Gone is gone. Gotham citizens would have been paying their taxes to keep them in a safe secure unit for the rest of their lives, but the Joker saw that would never happen. If I saw the guy today...I'd shake his hand."

He's one of Carmine's boys, Selina thought suddenly and she understood. She wouldn't admit he was right, but she understood. And who was she to lecture him on the morals of playing god? She'd murdered Elliot Hunt. She was no better. But the difference between what she did and what Jack did, was that she recognised that she was no better.

Selina knew it was time to wrap up this conversation. "Come on, it's too late...or early for a heated discussion," she propelled him out of the kitchen and they were back in the dark hallway. "Get some sleep."

It was at that precise moment, both individuals flinched in the dark, their eyes pointed upwards to the floors above. Despite still being in her leather suit, Selina felt Goosebumps break out across her arms.

"Did you hear...?" she began and Mike let out a snort of laughter.

"Footsteps...yeah I hear them all the time," he joked, bumping her shoulder as he peered up the dark stairs to the floors above. "Anyone ever die in that fire years ago? Cos I'd swear you have a ghost up there."

Selina's eyes went wide and then she choked out laughter. "You're teasing me right?" she poked his shoulder. "That was just the wind or something."

Mike shot her a serious glance. "I'm not teasing Miss Kyle," he shook his head. "I'm up this time most nights. It's not the first time I've heard that."

Selina shivered and rolled her shoulders, making sure that her robe was done up to her throat. "It's probably just the new building settling," she smiled coyly. "But if you're nervous I'll walk you to your dorm?"

Her voice indicated that she was clearly teasing him, but he still flushed red. He scratched the back of his head and ducked his eyes, putting one foot on the bottom step. "Nah, I can manage," he murmured before heading upwards. Selina lingered in the darkened hallway, watching as his form rounded the corner of the first floor. She waited to hear his door open and then shut and she let out shaky breath.

Her eyes peered upwards, pupils narrowing in the dark. She didn't know if it was sudden bravado or that she was still buzzing from her earlier adrenaline kick, but she found herself creeping up the stairs. It was silent on the first floor; there were three large dorms, one especially for the prepubescent residents of which Selina only had a few. The other two were for the older kids and one of them female only. With ten beds in each dorm, there was enough room to house thirty kids on this floor alone. But it was early days and the house was barely at capacity. As she crept past the rooms towards the second floor stair well, she could hear soft breathing and muffled snores coming from inside. She was instantly reminded of the days she used to share a room with ten other kids, and it almost made her smile.

Selina placed her hand on the banister, letting it guide her up in the dark, her feet incredibly light on the polished floor. Within moments she was head height with the landing, her heart quickening as she turned her head in the direction of the long window that looked out onto the courtyard below. She knew that the infirmary was locked tight. There was no one able to access it other than the doctors and nurses that worked here. Some of the older kids in residence had drug problems and Selina did not want them able to access a room full of medication. And the nursery was still empty. There was no one up here. But still...

I heard footsteps too, she admitted swallowing. And like Mikey, it wasn't the first time either. She recalled moving day and the chilly, unsettled feeling she'd gotten when she came up here. In the dark Selina rolled her eyes, still gripping the banister tightly. All she'd gone through and the wind howling and a groaning building was giving her the creeps. Maybe it was a ghost? Maybe it was Tony?

Or maybe there was something more real hiding in the darkness. He'd been here after all. And no one knew how to stay hidden like Jack. Selina turned to head back downstairs, sleep finally calling her to her bed. There was a soft creek on the floorboards behind her and she jerked, sweat breaking out across her brow. She whirled back around.

"If that is you..." her voice was surprisingly calm. "You better show yourself now. I mean it!"

When no answer came, Selina made a hasty retreat down the stairs, goose bumps breaking out across her arms. Once safely back inside her apartment, she locked it tight and then hurriedly stripped off the suit that she had been concealing under her robe. She folded it back inside the weapons chest, not hesitating to double lock the chest. That life was over now. It had to be over. She had worked too hard and sacrificed too much to end her days in Blackgate, just because she'd made a silly mistake. Wandering around her apartment she pinched the key to the chest between her fingers, wondering where she could hide it so that she might forget easily where it was. Finally she slipped it behind a picture frame on the wall of her bedroom and told herself that she wouldn't go looking for it anytime soon.

/

"Two more?" Selina raised an arched eyebrow at Suzie. "This place is going to be buzzing with hormonal teenagers before the week is out."

It was a Monday morning and Suzie had arrived for their usual coffee meeting to discuss business. In the weeks that the home had been open, Suzie had become an invaluable asset to Selina. Not only was she about to become a qualified counsellor, but she had contacts in the government offices. She had been responsible for setting up a rehab scheme within her sector which allowed young inmates from Blackgate free accommodation at Humberside, rather than tossing them out on the street.

Suzie smiled sheepishly across the desk at her old friend, her red hair pinned up high and her business suit a cool grey. She tapped her pen on the edge of the desk.

"It's getting you quite a bit of attention Selina," she explained. "By allowing the kids to stay here you are giving them a decent shot at a second chance. You can get them into work, get them into school...they aren't just coming here for a free ride."

Selina bit on her bottom lip. "But I'm concerned we will end up running out of space. I'll end up having to convert the nursery at this rate."

"Then convert it!" Suzie laughed. "You have room to extend if you wanted to and right now the Gotham council is eating out of your palm. You'll end up winning good Samaritan of the decade the way things are headed."

Selina frowned and stretched her arms above her head. She winced slightly, her arm muscles twanging at the sudden movement. Her muscles were still adjusting to the assault she had put them through the previous evening. Suzie noticed her facial expression.

"You ok?" she pressed and Selina waved her hand in the air.

"Yeah fine...I was doing push ups last night," she eased away from the subject. "Ok...well fine send them over and then I'll get the team to see them individually. Can you tell me anything about them at all?"

"Err..." Suzie opened her briefcase and pulled out a wad of notepaper, slipping her metal framed glasses back on the bridge of her nose. "We have a young lady called Syra Temple. She's nineteen and has a bit of an attitude I'm afraid. She was sent to Blackgate for armed robbery, but it was more to do with the boyfriend...a wrong crowd, liking for the bad boy kind of thing."

Selina grinned wryly. "Who doesn't like a bad boy huh? Great sounds like a handful. Who's next?"

"Ah, this is going to be a tricky one. His name is Garfield Lynns and he is a bit of a problem child. He's an orphan and he was put in Blackgate for setting fire to his school..."

Selina's eyebrows flew upward. "Nice...a pyromaniac coming to Humberside. Seems kind of fitting doesn't it?"

The joke seemed to get lost on Suzie, but then in the months that Selina had been getting reacquainted with her old friend, she had discovered that the red head didn't have much of sense of humour, especially when it came to these kids. She stared at Selina over the top of her glasses.

"He's only sixteen Selina. I'm sure you and your team can handle him," her tone was deadly serious.

Selina stood up as Suzie did, indicating that the meeting was over. Selina appeared rather casual in her white linen pants and grey sweater, compared to Suzie's business attire. "Long day at the office ahead?" Selina asked attempting to lighten Suzie's mood. Surprisingly the red head let out a long sigh.

"I'm just tired Selina...what with my exams about to start and trying to work two jobs.." she began and Selina nudged her shoulder as they walked out into the hallway, where Jonah was sweeping the wooden floor.

"Well there is always my offer to come work here full time. Your wasted in that dingy office tower you know," Selina teased knowing full well that her old friend was still incredibly guarded about giving up her steady job. Part of Selina knew that Suzie was reluctant to be working for her at all. There were still too many unspoken issues between them. And no amount of therapy or soul searching could erase the past they had shared. They walked casually to the front porch, where large silver Mercedes was pulling up into the drive, its tyres crunching over the gravel. Selina's stomach immediately did a back flip, her heart leap frogging into her throat. The windows were tinted but she knew who was sitting in the back seat.

With raised, inquisitive eyebrows Suzie turned and caught Selina's paled expression. At this Suzie laughed. "You weren't expecting a visit from Bruce Wayne I take it?"

Selina blinked as the car door opened and shook her head. "Ahh...no. Do I look alright?"

Suzie sniffed. "Beautiful as always...but you might want to lick that red lipstick off your teeth?"

Selina gasped and Suzie grinned. "I'm kidding. I'll call you later to arrange transport for the new arrivals," she let her gaze wander over to the man who was stepping out of the car. "Have fun."

Bruce nodded to Suzie as she passed him to get into her own car, but he barely let his gaze linger on her for long. He straightened his own neatly pressed navy suit and threw her a shy smile. Selina found she was blushing to her roots and desperately wished that she had bothered to do something more amazing with her hair, instead of having it pulled back in a messy pony tail. She found that she didn't quite know what to do with her hands as he approached her, and when he leaned to plant a kiss on her cheek, she kept them balled into tight fists at her sides.

He smelled wonderful, clean and firey and she had to take a giddy step backwards, deliberately out of arms reach.

Speak, she willed herself mentally but found it difficult to form anything coherent as he locked his gaze on hers. It had been a long time since she'd seen him, but the attraction was instant and undeniable. He could feel it to, she could tell by the way he dipped his chin and shoved his hands into his pockets, as if to keep himself from touching her.

"I wish I'd known you were coming," she blurted out finally in an attempt to say something, anything to break the tension building between them. He smiled sheepishly.

"Well you know me...I'm full of surprises. And I was in the area and realised that I hadn't seen the place like I promised I would."

Selina suddenly became more businesslike. "Well I'll give you the tour...or would you like a coffee first?" she brushed past Jonah in the hallway who was busy mopping the floor. The older man stopped his chore and smiled as Selina passed by, giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder.

"I'll take both," Bruce followed her into the kitchen, his hands still in his pockets. "Its quiet...I expected the place to be overrun with children."

Selina began fumbling around in the cupboards, realising that she still didn't know where anything was. She flicked on the coffee machine and it began to bubble to life. Clattering around she found two china mugs and placed them next to the sink.

"Well we are getting busier...mostly teenagers at the moment," she explained, keeping her back to him. She could feel his eyes boring into her back and she nervously turned and threw him one of her more charming smiles. He was leaning against the counter top, arms now folded.

"I heard that you were re-homing direct from Blackgate," he said, a little too seriously and Selina's shoulders stiffened.

"That's right," she answered. "Is there something wrong with that?"

Bruce flushed at her sudden change of tone. "Of course not. Only that I worry that's all."

Selina sloshed the coffee into the mugs and handed one to Bruce. It was till a little too hot and he placed it at his side on the counter. Selina smiled tightly. "You don't have to worry about me," she chided. "Or had you forgotten?"

Bruce rolled his eyes and laughed. "No...I just meant that some of these children are...well they could be _dangerous_ Selina. God knows what happens to them in that place."

"I know only too well what may have gone on in that prison. I have a great team here Bruce," she insisted, catching him with her green eyes. "Good, qualified people who know how to deal with these kids. There's no danger I swear."

Bruce let his usual stony features crack into a boyish smile, the one that made her go a little wobbly at the knees. "Why are you so defensive? All I've heard about for months is the wonderful work you've done here and you seem like I'm here to question you."

At that it was Selina's turn to crack a smile. "I don't know. I'm sorry if I seem that way...you are a man of two faces Bruce you have to admit that. I'm never quite sure which one is going to show up."

He stepped a little closer and then stopped the moment she folded her arms across her chest. He exhaled softly, letting his eyes drift over her down turned eyes, wondering if there was any way he could truly remove her from his mind.

"I could say the same about you," he accused gently. "You made quite a comeback last night. It was all the GCPD were talking about over their radios."

At his comment Selina's eyes flew up to meet his and she flushed. "Oh..._oh._ So that's why you're here."

Bruce chuckled. "I'm not here to bring you in!" he scolded. "But you popped up on my radar and it was a sharp reminder that I hadn't seen you like I promised and _also _that you hadn't quite been keeping out of trouble."

Selina exhaled loudly through her nose in what was more like a huff, slamming her bottom back against the counter top. "I was hardly causing trouble...I was giving myself a test drive. Seeing if I could still do all those things I used to. There was never any harm intended!"

"Alright I believe you!" he said seriously, then turning his own eyes down he lowered his voice. "Have you seen him?"

The question stumped her. On the one hand, it would be true to say that she hadn't actually seen Jack. But it would have been a lie to say that she hadn't felt him around. That he hadn't been here, when she was convinced that he had been watching her for months. She wanted a relationship with Bruce and she knew that Batman came with the package. She didn't want to start off things with more lies.

"Can I take it by your silence that the answer is a yes?" Bruce probed with a disappointed tone and Selina snapped out of her daze.

"Yes and no," she answered finally. "I've _not _seen him. I've not spoken to him. But I'm sure he's been here."

"What makes you so sure?"

Selina rolled her eyes skyward, wishing that she didn't have to get into a conversation about this right now. She had no real facts after all.

"It's just a feeling I get," she admitted reluctantly. "He was here for sure the night I moved in. He left me a little...gift shall we say."

Bruce shook his head, his neatly gelled hair not moving an inch. "But how do you know it was from him?"

Selina was struggling, like a fish caught out of water. "It had a note...it was something that related to us personally, as kids. It referred to what he calls me. To what he's always called me. It's silly Bruce...but it was from him."

Selina was now the one folding her arms defensively across her chest. Inside she was bristling. She hadn't realised how much it hurt to talk about it. Bruce's face was like ice, his jaw tightly clenched. She wasn't sure but she thought he almost appeared jealous, like he too was struggling. The Joker had a pet name for her, how strange and yet in an absurd way...sweet.

"Aren't you going to enlighten me? What is it exactly that he calls you?"

At that moment, as if something was saving her from her plight there was the distinct sound of yelling coming from the front yard. Selina and Bruce met eyes briefly before both striding purposely off in the direction of the commotion. Selina had seen Mikey and Wayland, another Blackgate offender in the yard earlier playing basketball. It had struck Selina at the time because Mikey was usually so reluctant to do anything with the other kids.

Both adults quickened their pace as the yelling became louder and more like a chant. To her horror and embarrassment Selina realised that the other teenagers were chanting 'fight, fight'. They rounded the corner to the mini basketball court in the yard, only to find Mikey and Wayland tussling on the ground. Mikey was fairly lithe and strong, but Wayland was eighteen, over six foot and built solid. Both boys were bleeding and scuffed and surrounded by their chanting peers.

Jonah appeared from the other end of the court, a look of confused horror on his face. He began to make his way towards the brawl, but Selina's face was flaming with fury. She could feel Bruce looking at her profile, as if his earlier statement was confirmed. Selina did no more than grab the back of Mikey's shirt collar and with her arms straining, managed to pull him away from Wayland. His face contorted in anger and confusion and was about to lunge, but Selina slid her ankle under his, caught his weight with her outstretched hands and with what strength she had pushed him flat on his back. He landed with a thud, staring bleary up at her. Then she whirled about, just in time to catch Wayland by his shirt sleeve. His right arm came out to swipe at her, but her reflexes kicked in and she caught his arm and turned it up around his own back, earning a satisfying yelp from him, before knocking him to the ground.

Both teenagers stared up at her, bewildered and a little pissed off. Selina stood between them, hands on her hips, glaring icicles down at the pair of them. She shoved her hair out of her face, panting lightly, but remarkably she hadn't even broken a sweat.

"How dare you!" she yelled. "We have a guest and this is the way you behave! What the hell is going on?"

When nobody answered, she turned her head towards her spectators, who were gaping at her open mouthed. It then dawned on Selina that they were staring at her because it appeared that a petit built young woman had managed to tackle two fully grown teenagers, double her weight and height. Bruce was staring at her too, as was Jonah. Bruce looked amused, while Jonah just looked in mild shock.

"Alright you guys get out of here," she called to the other kids. "I don't ever want to hear fight chanting in my home again is that clear?"

There was a mumble of agreement before the crowd dispersed, leaving just Mikey, Wayland, Bruce and Selina. Even Jonah had chosen to make a hasty exit. Slowly both boys crawled to their feet, Mikey rubbing the small of his back where he had fallen. Selina marched towards him and took his face in her hands, examining the cuts and welts. She made a clicking noise with her tongue.

"You're going to have a nice shiner in an hour or two," she muttered. "Go to the infirmary and tell the nurse. She might be able to give you an ice pack or something."

Selina turned to Wayland, who was now standing and stood a whole foot over her head. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" she nodded to the gash on his arm. "Well you go too. That's probably going to need stitching. Either of you mind telling me what that was all about?"

Mikey flushed to his roots and Wayland just looked miserable. "It was just a fight," the former uttered, keeping his eyes low to the ground.

"Well do try and keep those angry hormones in check guys huh? Can we straighten this out now?" Selina was between them, like a concerned big sister. Neither seemed too bothered now that she had just humiliated them so thoroughly.

"It was nothing," Wayland said.

"Its over. It was stupid. Sorry Miss Kyle," Mikey added. Selina rolled her eyes.

"Ok, well...get to the nurse and get patched up. I don't want you both fighting again. You aren't in Blackgate now."

Selina watched both boys slope off to the front porch, unaware that Bruce was still watching her with curious interest. When she turned he was studying her intently and she laughed at the expression on his face. She also noticed that in the brief moments while the boys had been brawling, Bruce had removed his jacket and tie and had rolled up his sleeves, as if preparing to get involved in the fight himself. Now he was leaning casually against the low brick wall.

"Do you always remove your clothes that fast?" she teased walking towards him and he chuckled.

"With the right incentive," he nodded. Then he shook his head in marvel. "You handled those kids like they were weak little kittens. I knew you were strong but not _that _strong."

"Oh _come _on!" Selina laughed flexing her arms out in front of her. "They aren't exactly body builders. And they have no style Bruce. Teenage boys are just muscle and angry hormones, like a car crashing into a wall."

"Speaking of hormones...the one with the scar most certainly has a crush. Or at least he will do now after you manhandled him," Bruce teased kicking away from the wall, his hands immediately back into his pockets. "This visit isn't going the way I planned you know."

"Hmm, I know," Selina smiled. "I wanted to show you something actually."

Bruce raised his eyebrows with interest. "Well great, as I had something I wanted to give to you. A moving in present if you like."

Selina approached and confidently linked her arm through his, huddling nicely against him. When he didn't protest she tugged him back out of the yard. "It's through here," she nodded in the direction of the front lawn. It had recently been laid and was still spongy and soft under their feet. There had been a small bed of roses dug and planted in the centre of the lawn and in front of the bed was a wooden bench.

Bruce threw her a bemused look as she waved her hand at the bench. "You want me to sit on it?" he laughed and Selina grinned shyly. She had imagined the day that he would visit so that she could present this to him. She had to admit her heart was fluttering a little, as with his arms behind his back he leaned forward and peered at the dedication engraved on a metal backing. It read in bold italic print.

_Dedicated to the memory of Martha Wayne, who used to read us stories here._

"I hope you don't mind," Selina began as Bruce lifted his eyes to hers. For a moment he looked a little lost, his eyes glassing over. He straightened up and cleared his throat.

"Mind?" he choked and looked away. Selina suddenly felt awkwardness rising and didn't quite know what to do with her hands. She went to shove them behind her back, but then instinct took over and she reached for his own, entwining her fingers with his.

"It just seemed fitting," she tried to explain. "Everything I've ever done kind of starts with her. When she died...I woke up. I realised who I wanted to be...and who I didn't want to be."

"Selina..." Bruce looked down at their laced fingers. "I'm sorry for everything I've ever said to you. If I made you feel like a criminal. If I hurt you..."

Selina's eyes widened. "Bruce it's me who's sorry. You've given me chance upon chance and I threw it back at you. I'm so sorry for that night..."

At that Bruce lifted his eyes and put up his hand. "Don't," he smiled. "It's my demon to get over. I don't want to talk about that night ever again. You made the decision you felt you had to make. And if you tell me that at one time, he was your friend, and then I believe you. You were protecting your friend and that's good enough for me."

Selina found herself welling up and in an instant she was pressed against his chest, burying her face in the crook of his neck. Her heart swelled up in her throat and for a moment she thought she might start bawling into his clean shirt. She didn't know how but a moment later they were sitting on the bench, holding hands and Selina sniffed and wiped her eyes. He reached out his hand and casually ran it through her long ponytail.

"Do you think that there could ever be a chance for us?" he asked. "Can you leave the Cat behind? Because after what I just saw...I don't think that's possible. It's so much a part of you."

Selina leaned back to look at him. "Can _you_ hang up your mask Bruce?"

"My mask is the one I'm wearing now," he answered miserably. "Gotham needs the Batman. It's become so much a part of me that I can't be anything else."

Selina sniffed again and lowered her eyes to his shirt collar, her fingers idly playing with the buttons there. "What's wrong with the odd run across the rooftops?" she teased. "I _can _promise you I'm never going to rob again."

Bruce sighed. "It's not that Selina. I made a promise to Gordon that I would bring you in if I was ever to catch you."

"Well that's the thing isn't it?" she smiled up at him. "You'd have to _catch_ me. And right now I don't want to be caught. And I also don't want to make promises that I don't know if I can keep. You ask me if I can give up the Cat? The simple answer is that I don't know. I thought I could."

Bruce leaned away, her nearness teasing him beyond control. Five more seconds at that distance and he knew he'd end up scooping her up and carrying her away to his home, where he could keep her locked away. He sighed and inched backwards; fumbling in his breast pocket for the present he had promised her. Selina's eyes widened curiously as he planted a little oblong box in her lap.

"I thought you should have it," he explained. Selina picked up the box and opened it carefully. She eyed the contents and then gasped, snapping the box shut, her eyes welling up again.

"Bruce...no! I can't accept this," she cried. In the brief seconds the box had been open, she had spied an article of jewellery that had sent her spiralling back about twenty years. It was the jade green necklace that had belonged to Bruce's mother. The one she had been playing with the day that Bruce had caught her in his mother's room at Wayne Manor, the day of so many memories. It was the day that she had seen Jack for the last time as a child and the very day that she had decided that she would leave her childhood behind. It was the catalyst for so many life changing events that the mere sight of it left her breathless. Bruce was eyeing her warily.

"Is it too much?" he asked softly. "Too many open wounds?"

She closed her hand around the box firmly. "There _are_ too many open wounds," she agreed dismally. "But this means the world Bruce...the fact that you're giving me this...it means so much."

He enclosed his warm hand over hers that held the box. "It seems like you knew my mother better than I ever did," he admitted.

Silence enfolded them like a blanket and for a while neither of them spoke. Selina leaned closer and rested her head on his broad shoulder and closed her eyes and wished, so desperately that things could be different. Being near him was dangerous and right now all she had to do was tilt up her face and kiss him, but then where would that lead them? It was a clear stalemate as far as she could see.

"Maybe one day you'll decide that Batman can be put to rest?" she asked. "And I'll grow up and realise that I want more than this life. But can we be friends?"

He was leaning his jaw against her head and she felt him smile. "We can try," he promised. But it was an empty one and it hurt her heart more than she liked.

/

The day was over and Selina ached in a way that told her she was out of shape. Her shoulders were tight with the tension that had settled on them during the remainder of the day. Bruce had left in his car, a distant and saddened look on his weary face. Right before he gotten in the back, he'd thrown her a look across the courtyard, which to Selina looked as if it would be the last time he would be seeing her. He appeared to be drinking in her image, standing there on the porch, hands on hips. When he'd gone, she'd run into Jonah who had been pretending to sweep the porch behind her, but Selina knew he was just lurking. He noted her sour mood, but didn't say anything apart from one thing.

"No need for you to get to the gym," he laughed. "Those boys were putty in your hands. Where'd you learn those moves?"

She patted his shoulder wearily. "You don't want to know," she said.

At five Selina had overseen the arrival of the two newest residents. She steeled herself, making her face seem softer and friendlier than she felt right now, wanting to make sure she looked approachable at least. She was worried that after what they'd seen today, the others kids might be a little afraid of her. The two new kids were quiet and distant, the teenage girl Syra, particularly cool with her. Selina settled them in their rooms, told them to make themselves at home and hoped for the best. She couldn't give anymore today. Bruce's gift to her was still in the pocket of her linen pants, and she could feel like it like an emotional weight. Later when she took it out and looked at it in her room, her eyes glassed over and her hand reached for the receiver of the phone. She wanted him, more badly than she had ever imagined. She knew what it had taken for him to give this to her and she wanted to go to him. She curled her fingers away. They would have their time, Selina promised herself, but it just couldn't be now.

"Well there's no harm in a couple of dates here and there," Holly insisted down the phone, when Selina called her later. "It sounds as though he wants to give things a try."

"Holly...he's Batman for god sake!" Selina groaned, kicking off her flats as she settled herself on the couch. "Too much water under the bridge...time is healing and all that..."

"Uhh, the clichés!" Holly laughed. "Just go over there and get him out of your system."

"That's the problem. If I go over there, I don't think I'll ever leave. He's already in my system," Selina exhaled and was eager to change the subject. "Speaking of dating...how'd it go with the weird guy upstairs?"

She heard Holly's gasp of indignation at the other end and couldn't stop a grin spreading across her lips. Holly had been seeing the man in the apartment above who Selina had met once and had made an instant assessment of oddball. But for some reason Holly thought his crazy hair, luminous eyes and eccentric demeanour was quirky in a cute way. And after what Elliot had put her through, Selina knew she was lucky that her friend was even thinking of dating another man, but that didn't stop her being protective.

"Edward is very sweet," Holly began. "He doesn't go out that much though. The other day he had two televisions delivered! I'm not sure what he does up there all day. I don't think I'll be seeing him again."

Selina was about to open her mouth to speak when she heard what sounded like the bell going on the door to the main house. She glanced at her watch, read that it was nearly eleven pm and went cold.

"Someone's here," she muttered. "I gotta go. I'll call you in the morning to check the gallery orders?"

Holly sounded worried. "No text me later," she insisted. "I don't like that people are turning up at this hour. Text me that your ok? Please!"

Selina could hardly refuse her. She hung up and then went to her own apartment door and unlocked it swiftly. The hallway was dimly lit and she could hear laughter and the television blaring from the dayroom as she walked steadily into the hall. To her surprise the door was already wide open, the chilly night air pouring in. Furrowing her brow, she went to the door and stepped out onto the porch.

"Who was it at this hour?" Jonah's voice came from behind her and Selina whirled about, clenching her teeth. She laughed at her edginess.

"You scared me to death," she breathed. "I just got here...the door was open. Didn't you answer it?"

"No, I've been in the dayroom with the kids...they're watching a movie. I was actually about to turn in myself." He looked confused. "I heard the bell..."

"Yeah me too," Selina gritted her teeth. "Are they all in there with you? Even the new kids?"

"Yeah all of them. Maybe we have an unwelcome visitor?" Jonah groaned, his eyes roaming the dark hallway. "I'll check upstairs...you stay down here!"

Selina folded her arms, nodding. She didn't want to insist that she went up instead, that would only give Jonah more cause for concern. She let him go, watching him as he went up to the first floor. She went instead into the dayroom, pleased to see that Garfield and Syra appeared to be settling in with the others. They were all dotted around the room, lounging on various cushions and couches, all captivated by the late night comedy on television. Even Mikey and Wayland, appeared to have put aside their differences and were easily chatting. It was nearing their curfew time. One of the boys looked up at her brightly as she lingered in the doorway.

"Hey Miss Kyle," he smiled and she returned it.

"Hey," she said. "It's getting late guys. You make sure your all in bed after this finishes."

They all called out that they would and she wandered back into the hall where Jonah was coming back downstairs. He shrugged his large shoulders.

"Must have been kids playing pranks...or one of them leaving the door open when they went out for a smoke?"

Selina let her fingers stray to her lips. "I'm sure it was," she agreed. "Night Jonah."

"Night," he called over his shoulder as he disappeared off to his own wing of the house. Selina watched him leave and then made her own way to the stairs, pausing for breath as she placed her foot on the first step.

_God damn you Jack. You can't keep playing these games._ She thought this as she made her way up to the darkness of the first floor, her chest tightening as she rounded the stairway, peering up, once again to the second floor, feeling like a child afraid of ghosts. Pushing the fear aside, she reached the top and was frozen at what she saw. The door to the white room was open and the light was on. Beads of sweat had broken across her top lip and she hurriedly wiped her mouth on her sleeve, it took all her strength for her legs not to drain of blood, but she knew that her face must have.

Someone was in there waiting for her.

"_Stop laughing at me! Just stop laughing!..." _fragments of memory came back and under her breath she swore.

With legs like wooden stumps, she walked to the doorway, and swallowed a gasp. He had his back to her, but his shoulders were familiarly hunched, his suit glaringly bright and garish under the fluorescent light of the infirmary. Against the stark white walls, he looked like something out of an acid trip, bright, nightmarish and real. He heard her catch her breath, his head cocking in her direction his face paint thick and wet in the light. The corners of his mouth curled up, as he turned to face her.

For an endless moment, Selina could barely move. He held out his hands, almost mockingly, his eyebrows lifting for comical effect.

"What...no hug?" he jibed. Then Selina moved, but she moved with the force of furious anger. It came upon her like a bubbling volcano. She was so...angry! She darted towards him, lifting her arm fluidly to strike. But emotion had weakened her, and he caught her wrist reflexively. But he wasn't in time, or he never expected her to come back on her left, her bawled fist catching his lip.

"You bastard!" she cried. "How dare you come back here!"

In the moment that she had struck, she must have caught his lip against his teeth, for blood splattered up the wall behind them as he turned. He chuckled, his eyes searching hers. He put a hand to his mouth, wiping it on his coat sleeve. Selina, dismayed at the sight of nightmarish red blood up her clean walls, grabbed a towel and began frantically rubbing it away. All it did was smear it everywhere. She rushed to the sink to wet the towel, scowling at him over her shoulder.

"I wouldn't worry," he mused, staring at the wall as though it were some piece of artwork in a museum. "It isn't the first time these walls have seen a bit of blood...and mine no less."

His words struck deep, but she ignored him, hurrying to the stain, dabbing at it carefully this time. "What are you even doing here?" she muttered. "I know you're a lot of things but I never had you down as a stalker."

She stood back after a while and shrugged her shoulders at the ruined wall. "I can't get it off."

"Blood stains are always the hardest," he stood with her shoulder to shoulder. "And you should know."

She stared down at her pale hands, the soft indentations of her palms stained with Jack's dried blood. She shook her head, finally turning in his direction. "And I thought those days were over. And yet here you are?"

He smiled fiendishly. "I couldn't resist...the book, hiding away in the darkness. You scare easily. How could I keep away?"

"But why?" she exhaled, almost tired. "We said our goodbyes. That night...you were here but didn't show yourself. And I needed you then. And you didn't come to me. I don't need you now."

He pulled a face. "Ouch," he snickered, pretending to clutch his heart. "You may think that...but you do need me now. More than you know."

She snorted, turning away so that she leaned easily against one of the beds. "Really?"

He stepped nearer than she was comfortable with, and if he saw her flinch, he didn't much care. He pinned her with his eyes and lowered his chin, almost to his chest.

"I'd say so," he said. "You are not being very bright Selina. You are going about this all the wrong way. You think this is the Selina Kyle Gotham needs right now? A smart, pretty woman in a business suit? The good Samaritan?"

Selina's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What are you talking about? And since when do you give a shit about Gotham City? I recall you trying to blow up a ferry full of its citizens not so long ago?"

He winced dramatically. "Ahh yes. I knew my past misdemeanours would crop up somewhere in this conversation. You can't resist throwing that back at me."

Selina gaped at him wide eyed. "Misdemeanours? You're a _murderer_" she leaned forward dramatically, as if to enhance the last word, instead he merely threw her a not so charming yellowed smile.

"Takes one to know one," he shot back, laughing childishly at his quip. Selina shook her head in bewilderment. It was hard to believe that this clown was the last man she'd slept with. Inside she winced. No wonder Bruce thought she was a mad woman. But despite everything, there was an instant connection, a past that couldn't be rubbed away. He knew her right down to the scars on her body, intimately as well as emotionally.

Selina couldn't hide her anger with him, because he'd left her. Just when she needed him, he vanished, and after everything she'd thrown away for him, it was a lasting sting. She mentally willed herself to calm down.

"Alright," she held up her palms. "What have you come here to say to me?"

"You've forgotten who you are Selina," he replied, suddenly serious. "And you need to wake up and soon. Because this time, I really won't be around to watch the fall out."

Frustrated, she nodded her head. "So you're leaving again? Well it wouldn't be the first time. Can you please just go this time and not hang around in dark corners?"

It was his turn to appear frustrated. In one motion he closed the gap between them and took her by the shoulders. His grip was painfully tight and she staggered back against the bed. He brought his face close to hers, lowering her voice.

"_Listen _to me," he said through clenched teeth. "You need to man up. Remember the girl in the black suit? The one who stole back every penny the Falcone family murdered her father for? That's the one you need to be. Because there is something headed this way, someone who is intent burying this city alive. And if you're going to hang around...then you need to get ready for the fight. You... and the damn bat."

Selina blinked. "And you aren't going to stay?"

He released her and she sagged. "You know me. I like a bit of fun. I like to show the big shots up for what they really are. But I also like this town. And I'm not going to stay around to watch it die."

Selina cocked her head, suddenly keenly aware that he looked quite awkward. She opened her mouth. "Are you afraid?"

He shot her an icy look, heat blistering below the surface. "Probably not as much as I should be."

Selina lifted her arms in an exasperated gesture. "Cant you tell me more? Where did you hear this? Who are they?"

"Whoa that's a lot of questions. When you stay hidden in the dark it's amazing what you hear. And what I heard isn't good. It's not a them, it's a him. And I don't know any more than that. But what I do know is this little set up you've got here...if you want to keep it safe, you have to drop this facade. You are more than this...and you know it."

Selina ducked her eyes. How did he know these things? How did he seem to read her thoughts? Maybe he had seen her make her little debut last night, she realised dismally. He seemed to know her better than she knew herself.

"I don't know if I have it in me Jack, not anymore," she admitted. "I've fought my whole life."

He looked angry now; he puffed air through his nose noisily. "Well isn't that sad Selina?" he fired at her with a touch of bitterness. "You think that you're now above the rest of us? That a title and a business award makes you better than me? Well you may have forgotten where you came from Selina, but I haven't."

"I haven't forgotten Jack," she fought back, struggling to keep her voice down. "I live in a permanent reminder of where I came from. I just don't have what it takes anymore. And more to the point...I don't_ want_ it."

He snarled nastily like a wounded dog and shook his oily hair. "No you want a perfect life, in a mansion with your playboy prince..."

Selina almost laughed. _Oh if you only knew the real Bruce Wayne._

"Well too bad Selina...some of us are born to fight and you _are _one of them. I can't leave here if you don't promise me you'll fight back. When the storm hits Gotham...and believe me Selina it's coming...you have to fight back. You have to take the leap."

"Then don't leave!" she grabbed the cuff of his coat as he tried to pass her. Her eyes were urgent, desperate; she couldn't be going through this again. "Whatever this is we'll face it together. I'm _better _with you _here_."

At that he sighed. "You think that but it's not true. What about all those years you were on your own? What about the night you killed Elliot? I wasn't there then. I'm _going_ Selina."

He was becoming more irritable by the moment, more than she had ever seen him. Without another word he stalked past her, his shoulder bumping hers as he walked out briskly onto the landing. Wordlessly he went to the second floor window, the one that overlooked the courtyard and wrenched it upwards the fresh, cool air chilling Selina's skin. She blinked back tears, swallowing a lump as he looked back at her in the dark.

"So that's it?" she choked. "Its goodbye for real this time?"

She saw his shoulders stiffen in the light of the courtyard lamps, shining in through the window. Without speaking, he turned, roughly taking her by the back of her neck and kissing her roughly. Selina made a noise of surprise against his mouth but the kiss was over before it began. When he broke away, he was breathing heavy and fast, almost as if he wanted more but couldn't stay.

"Take the leap Selina," he said again, his eyes locking with hers for an endless moment.

As easily and effortlessly as he'd entered her home, he was gone. Selina heard his boots hit the gravel below after winding his way down the gutter pipe. She heaved the window closed, blocking the sound of his footsteps across the drive. She didn't want to listen to him leaving her yet again. Wrapping her arms around her body, she wandered into the stark, white room that used to be her sanctuary, her place to be alone with Jack. She saw the blood stain on the wall, barely there now, like he'd never been here at all.

/

The next day passed in a blur. Selina built up a wall around her and managed to drag herself through it. Often when moments were quiet, her thoughts strayed to Jack and it made her insides churn. His sudden appearance and then departure had left a gaping hole and somehow she felt that he really meant what he said this time. He was gone for good.

Thankfully moments were never that quiet at Humberside and she didn't have too much time to dwell on it. Now it was late. Selina had decided that the day had been far too emotional and fraught to spend it with the kids in the lounge and had retired early. She had locked her apartment door and ran a bath. After soaking in it for half an hour she felt dismal and antsy, the need to pace too much to bear. Now she sat on her bed in her robe, cross legged and staring down at the sparkling jade necklace that had once belonged to the woman who had been the centre piece of so many of little Selina's day dreams. How many times had she imagined going to a ball dressed in beautiful silks and glittering jewels hanging around her neck? How many times had she wondered at Mrs. Wayne's fairy tale life, at the parties and the dances? And how Selina had cried when the woman had been killed.

Like a princess from a fairy tale, she had been cruelly erased. There had been no Batman back then to rescue her. She wondered if that was the way Bruce saw it too. He couldn't stop being the Bat, because there would always be people like her who needed him.

Selina stretched out her legs, wiggling her freshly painted red toes. Her calves and upper thighs ached from last night's excursion, but in a way that was gently familiar and good. She couldn't deny that feeling the rush of adrenaline had been a huge kick and even that brief work out earlier in the day had been exhilarating. Jack had been right about that, and also so had Bruce. She let Jack's warning come back to her and her back stiffened.

She wondered at what or who he'd been talking about. She had to admit the thought filled her with horror. To think at what this city had endured and one of its very worst criminals was leaving because someone or something out there was coming this way! The thought that he'd be afraid made her shudder.

Without really thinking, Selina was on her feet and her hand was feeling along the top of the picture frame behind her bed. She swiped the key that she had tried to keep hidden. Within moments the weapons chest was open and she was picking up the black suit in her hands. Pressing it to her chest she struggled to control her breathing.

Don't do this, a voice screamed inside her head. Bruce had all but told her that he would have no choice but to bring her in if she was caught. Gordon was on alert after last night's escapade.

"_I see you..."_ another voice echoed in her head. _"Don't forget who you are..."_

Selina let her robe slip to the floor. Inch by inch she rolled on the black garment, the feel of it encasing her body fuelling her desire to run. With her fingers she zipped it across the tummy section, she zipped up the side. Standing before the mirror, with her hair loose and her lips bare of her usual trade mark red, she loved every inch of the way she looked in that suit. She looked wild and free and most of all, a little feral. She wound her hair into the mask pulling it over her head, tucking away any loose strands of blonde. Reaching for her makeup box, she pulled out a kohl black liner and did something she had never bothered with before.

Through the eye holes, she ringed her eyes in the thickest black, winging it out towards her outer lashes and ringing the liner inside the eye. Then she painted it over her eyebrows, making her look more surreal, more dramatic. Finally the finishing touch was her usual red lipstick, smearing it cleanly over her bare lips, giving her that extra bite. Standing back she stood with her hands on hips, feeling strangely as if she were about to go on a date. That nervous apprehension was building in her tummy, like tiny butterflies doing battle.

She wrenched open the window, feeling the night air cool on her face. Then she was gone. She crawled through the gates of Humberside, her gentle jog at once turning into a sprint. Just for effect, she launched herself into a back flip, her back arching nicely, landing with a grace that her body hadn't forgotten. She sidelined down an alley way that led out to the docks and spying a fire escape ladder, she grabbed at it and began to climb. Every muscle in her upper arms protested but it only made her want to go faster, like a runner that reaches breaking point. She fought the burn and reached the roof, the cool air like a drug. She could smell the salt of the ocean from up here. How could she ever leave this behind?

She needed to be higher. She needed to move faster. Right now there was no building too daunting, no gap too wide that she couldn't jump. Like an alley cat she scaled across the rooftops of the narrows, her breath coming in steady short pants. Almost as if she were on laughing gas, a grin broke across her face and kept running, her strides becoming longer. Before she knew it, she had travelled miles and was heading into the busy Gotham party district. Below car horns wailed and the odd cop car sped by, but up here she was hidden in darkness and sheltered by the shadows.

She was on the roof of the Clarence, the very hotel owned by Bruce Wayne. She coiled her way onto a perilously thin ledge, peering down at the city lights below. Down below the Gotham elite were busy dining, partying and drinking in sophisticated bars. The distant wail of sirens and car horns travelled up to greet her and she breathed in the night air. It occurred to Selina then at how limited their lives were. Socialites like Vicki Vale preyed on millionaires like Bruce, only to leave empty and lost, another notch on another bedpost. But up here, Selina could be anything, she could do anything. How could she ever have wanted to be part of that life?

Selina let her head fall back and kicked her legs out into the thin air, her heels kicking against the stone ledge. She was mere inches from death, a moment's breath away from falling into nothing. But she knew she wouldn't. She trusted that she wouldn't.

It only took a second for Selina to sense that she wasn't alone up here. She heard his cape whip through the air as he landed next to her, his boots thudding lightly on the concrete ledge. Selina snorted and lifted her chin, his figure against the night blacking out the moon.

"You want me to move across?" she teased patting the ledge next to her, gesturing that he sit down. His face was like thunder, his eyes black under the cowl.

"I saw you up here," he said gruffly. "But I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I had no idea you were _this _reckless."

"Oh come on," she whined, flashing him one of her more alluring smiles. "I never promised you anything. And look..." she held up her palms. "I'm empty handed. I'm not even armed. Unless you'd like to search me?"

She saw his jaw tighten but he said nothing. "Selina...you are making life very difficult."

"I've seen him," she admitted. She wasn't sure what prompted her to come straight out with it, but she wanted to be honest. She didn't want to lie to him anymore. In the darkness, she was sure she saw him flinch.

"What?" he snarled.

She cocked her head. "I said, I've seen him. He came to me."

"How nice for you," he retorted through clenched teeth. She waved her hand in the air.

"Quit it with the jealousy act for one minute will you? He's gone now. Really gone." Saying it out loud made it so much worse.

She heard him exhale in the dark, his shape moving. "What did he want?"

"He came to warn me...and you. He said that someone is coming to Gotham. Someone who'll make The Joker look like a children's entertainer."

"And how did he know this?"

Selina shrugged, exhaling herself. "I don't know...he's been keeping low. He heard it through whatever underground channels he uses. I'm not in the loop on that one."

"It's not much to go on. Did he tell you anything else?"

She shook her head. "No...but he was...afraid." She had to admit that she felt foolish revealing that.

Stunned silence followed her admission. Finally she heard him mutter. "Then I guess we wait."

"When it happens Bruce...if it ever does...I can help you," she said.

At that she stood sensing where this conversation was heading. "I was thinking about what you said; about how Bruce Wayne is the mask you wear."

She was using casual conversation to back up the ledge, knowing that a few yards along was a stone statue that she could use to levy herself up to the roof. She walked backwards, her feet dainty and graceful and she could sense his fear, she could see the whites of his eyes darting from her face to her feet and back again.

"Be careful.." he warned. She merely laughed, feeling exhilaration taking over, almost a little giddy with the capabilities of her own body. He was amazing, strong and skilled but so was she and right now she wanted to show him what she could do.

"I was thinking that really the Joker was right all along. He said to me one time that I would never be able to give up this life. That the business woman in the suit was my real disguise."

The Bat made a sharp move to grab her wrist but like an eel Selina slipped out of his grasp, kicking off the ledge and grabbing the statue above her head. She wriggled over it, scrambling up over the brickwork, the edge of the roof digging into her ribcage as she crawled across it. She recovered quickly, panting lightly, knowing that he wasn't far behind her. Within seconds she was back on her feet and he was behind her. She whipped around and threw him a grin.

"Fine if that's the way you want to play it," he said with a touch of remorse in his low voice. "I had hoped after today..."

"We can't be friends Bruce," she cried. The statement was familiar and tinged with regret. "We can _never_ be friends. We can never be lovers. But up here in the dark, we can be anything we want to be."

"Except you forget my promise to Gordon," he reminded her sharply. "That if I caught you I would bring you in."

"I haven't forgotten anything," she told him haughtily. "You aren't going to catch me any time soon."

She moved closer, but her speed was like lightning. At once she was inches from his face. She wound her arms about his neck and kissed his mouth deeply. He was too shocked and surprised to react and when he went to reach for her, she snaked away; satisfied with the red lipstick she'd left on his mouth.

"But that doesn't mean I don't want to be chased," she smiled. She angled her body as though she were a diver preparing to leap from a high board. She heard the urgency in his voice as he called her.

"Selina...what are you _doing_?" he growled. She threw him a look over her shoulder and gave him a sly wink.

"I'm taking a leap Bruce," she said calmly. "You coming?"

Then she jumped.

With a start he watched her form disappear into the night. In the darkness he heard her land on the roof opposite, seeing the moonlight glint off her suit as she ran across the tiles, laughing as she went. Open mouthed at her foolishness and her wreck less behaviour, he prepared to follow, his heart quickening at the thought of having her in his arms again. Launching himself into the air, he felt the first movements of a grin tugging at his stained lips.

The chase began.

/

In the alleys below a man stood alone, hidden by the shadows of the night. If someone happened upon him, they would get more than just a fright. The man bore a painted white face and a red mouth, with eyes like two holes in his skull, staring at his victims with dead nothingness. Some said that it was the eyes that made him more frightening. Others remarked that it was his high, muffled laughter. Insane laughter. But he wasn't insane. Not one bit.

Right now, he was just waiting. Always waiting in the dark. He leaned against the wall, feeling its cold seeping through his long jacket. It didn't bother him to be cold.

A noise from above startled him out of his stony silence and he craned his neck to the roof top above. Without warning there was a whoosh through the air and a tile cracked inches from his shoe. It had been dislodged somehow and fallen from the roof above. Then he heard something that chilled him to the spot. A woman laughing.

Moments later, a huge black shape travelled swiftly across the roof, landing with a deafening thud. It was apparent very quickly that the woman was being pursued. The Joker cocked his head and with a gruff laugh shoved his hands in the pockets of his coat.

"There's my girl," he muttered just as silver, battered Sedan pulled into the alley, its tyres sloshing through the murky puddles. The passenger door opened and the Joker narrowed his eyes to peer into the dark chasm of the car. Without talking to the driver he hoped in and slammed the door behind him.

The car reversed noisily out of the alley and sped away and out of Gotham City, the thought of leaving her behind for good made him truly cold. He didn't think he'd last long; the cord that bound them would wrench him back to this cursed place sooner or later. He had a sinking feeling he'd be needed.

And although he knew _she _was better without him, that somehow she always landed on her feet, he wouldn't fare as well. He was better with her and he always had been.

One day, a long time ago a boy had been brought into Humberside, bandaged and frightened, left alone to heal in the deafening quiet of the white room. One sunny afternoon, he had heard a noise that had compelled him to climb out of bed, sneak to the window and look down into the yard below.

He'd seen her then, laughing and playing with her friends, a young girl with golden hair and sad eyes. And from that time it seemed no matter what he did or where he went, fate had a way of drawing them together. He knew then, as he knew now, that wherever she went, he was doomed to follow.

The End.

**EEKK! OK, wiping my eyes a little. I really hope you enjoyed that and sincerely mean it when I say that I thank each and every one of you who've taken the time to review, pm and follow this story. I can't thank everyone, as the list is endless, but you've made this journey a special one. xxxxx**


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